Organizational
Goal Setting

Breakthrough growth requires organizational goal setting, delivering strategic objectives based on your aspirations for the future, not past metrics. Think of them as a purpose-driven operating system.

Organizations are driven by one thing – people. So why are organizational goals so detached from what motivates the humans that enable our growth?

People need to see a visible connection between what they are doing and the difference it makes. They also want to feel that they are a part of something bigger and have the space to practice being their future selves. A study by Deloitte reinforced this idea by showing that no single factor has more impact on employee engagement than “clearly defined goals that are written down and shared freely…”

At Fathom, we use the OKR (Objectives and Key Results) framework to ensure that organizational goal setting is rooted in the Purpose and future trajectory of an organization. OKRs provide a rigorous framework for turning audacious goals into meaningful near term actions.

Skeptical? Google, Facebook, Twitter, Amazon, MSFT, Slack, and Netflix (just to name a few) all use OKRs to set their strategic goals.

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What to expect

The organizational goal setting engagement is for leaders who are ready to re-set their process to achieve new levels of performance. This comes from clarifying essential business objectives, and doing it in a way that sticks in the minds and actions of their entire team. In our experience, these are the conditions that are required to be successful:

Commitment and Accountability – The inclusive process of creating OKRs creates ownership from the start. Leaders must model the process first to demonstrate the effectiveness and that they are accountable too.

Alignment – Fathom’s approach reinforces your common purpose and promotes creative latitude. Because your destination is clearly defined, your team is empowered to orient even the smallest effort or decision in favor of your future.

Focus – OKRs explain what matters most to the future we are trying to create. If we focus on everything, we focus on nothing.

Courage – These goals extend above and beyond the management of day-to-day operations. OKRs are clear but significant. A pattern of 70% achievement means we are stretching enough. 100% means we are aiming too low.

Schedule and Activities

This three-month initiative consists of a series of workshops designed to take your team from imagining your bold future to full operation centered around a set of purposeful objectives.

Week 1-2 – Clarifying purpose and setting a vision Without a sense of what you stand for beyond what you make, sell or provide, we are limited by past-based benchmarks and the standards of others. We will kick off this initiative with your executive leadership team by imagining what forms of growth are possible for your organization. Week 3-4 – Creating OKR candidates Once we have a reference point for future, we will work with the same leadership team to translate those bold ambitions into clear annual and quarterly objective candidates. Week 5 – Promoting an OKR Champion At this point, a committed and enthusiastic OKR Champion will be nominated and enrolled in the process. Responsible for continued learning, process improvement, team support and measurement, the OKR Champion will ensure the successful “installation” of this purpose-based operating system. Week 6 – Designing with your team Fathom will facilitate a participatory workshop with your extended team in which the OKR candidates will be tested and enhanced. Teams will be asked what they imagine it will take to achieve the desired objectives, and how they can uniquely contribute to them. Week 7 – Refining OKRs Using source material gathered from the extended team workshop, we will collaborate with the original leadership team to refine the annual and quarterly OKR language into a form that can be shared and acted on by the entire organization. Week 8-12 – Measurement and celebration Fathom will schedule three one-hour integration conversations or meetings designed to support the leadership team and OKR Champion in making, measuring and celebrating progress on your organizational objectives.

Let’s talk

Additional Highlights

Flexible: Designed to meet the busy schedule of executives, we’ll find the most favorable time for the sessions that match the cohort, and schedule them in advance.

Virtual: All sessions and curriculum are optimized to be delivered and experienced using Zoom and other online platforms that allowing you to enjoy powerful team interactions and more intimate one-on-one sessions no matter where you are located.

Customized: This program is all about you, and your unique ambitions and challenges. It meets you where you are and is designed to take you forward in a way that only needs to make sense for you.

If you are serious about the next chapter of your leadership. Reach out to us to set up an interview.