Productive OKR Weekly Check-ins [+ FREE Template]

Objective and key result (OKR) weekly check-ins offer a unique opportunity to reflect on goal progress and set priorities for the week ahead. The purpose of these weekly check-ins should be to create alignment while facilitating progress. To make sure that you’re seeing continual progress, it’s important that you reflect on accomplished plans, results of these plans, upcoming plans, and any lessons learned. Doing so will turn your work in creating and measuring objectives and key results (OKRs) into a weekly flow. 

In this article, we’ll cover the basis of OKR weekly check-ins, while touching on their importance and some key insights to keep in mind when you host a weekly check-in of your own. At the end, you’ll even find a free template you can leverage to make sure your next OKR weekly check-in runs smoothly. 

• What is an OKR weekly check-in? 
• Why are OKR weekly check-ins important?
• 9 tips for a productive OKR weekly check-in
• Free OKR meeting agenda template

What is an OKR weekly check-in? 

OKRs is a goal-setting framework that is often used within teams to make sure everyone is working towards aligned outcomes. The framework also ensures the goals being set are measurable and the outcomes are tracked to confirm progress is being made steadily throughout the entire course of the defined time period. 

A weekly OKR check-in is a meeting or gathering—taking place weekly—during which the team leader or manager aims to discuss OKRs while answering any questions and unblocking teammates as needed. These meetings will guarantee your entire team is informed and prepared to work towards the same North Star. 

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Why are OKR weekly check-ins important?

If your organization is goal oriented, OKR weekly check-ins are a must. Not only do they act as an opportunity to align your team, but they also give you the opportunity to hone in on goal setting and planning. The OKRs framework helps turn good ideas into well-executed projects, and weekly OKR check-ins ensure your team has an uninterrupted, allotted amount of time where you can focus on this process. These meetings will help you tighten employee engagement while driving high-performing teams. 

9 tips for a productive OKR weekly check-in

• Make sure everyone knows the OKRs
• Follow a meeting agenda
• Use an OKR tracking tool
• Take meeting minutes 
• Discuss roadblocks
• Assign action items 
• Align goals and expectations 
• Provide an opportunity for questions 
• Send a meeting follow-up email

1Make sure everyone knows the OKRs

OKRs is a goal-setting framework used by individuals, teams, and organizations to define measurable goals and track outcomes. To meet these measurable goals and track outcomes, you need to make sure your entire team is on the same page. 

To make sure everyone is aware of your OKRs, it’s best to host a weekly check-in. We recommend hosting this check-in at the beginning of the week. During this meeting, you can cover term objectives and key results, and make sure everyone is prepared for the week to come. Covering these topics will ensure you’ve done your best to optimize alignment. 

2Follow a meeting agenda

The key to running a successful meeting is following a meeting agenda. A meeting agenda will ensure your meeting runs smoothly from start to finish. Not only that, but you’ll also be able to dedicate certain sections of your meeting agenda specifically to your OKRs! 

Creating a meeting agenda will also allow everyone to show up to the meeting prepared. Circulating the meeting agenda at least 24 hours before your meeting will ensure your team can educate themselves on all team objectives before the meeting kicks off. 

3Use an OKR tracking tool

Like anything, it can be difficult to track OKRs’ success if you don’t take the time to properly track everyone’s progress. Fellow’s Objectives Tool makes it possible for you to stay on top of your team’s goals by clearly recording, defining, and tracking the progress of your OKRs. At-risk objectives can easily go unnoticed if you don’t take the time to review them weekly. With the Objective tab in Fellow, you can link your objectives to your weekly OKR meeting; doing so will make it easy for you to review progress, resolve challenges, and make sure all OKRs are on track. 

4Take meeting minutes

People often greatly underestimate the value of taking thorough meeting minutes. During every meeting, it’s extremely important to assign a notetaker. Having a notetaker will ensure that, at the end of your OKR weekly check-in, you have thorough notes that can be used as a reference point in the future. In addition, having these notes will provide you and your teammates with any additional information you may need to double down on your OKRs. 

5Discuss roadblocks

To make sure everyone is working efficiently, it’s important to conduct frequent check-ins. Your OKR weekly check-in is the ideal time to check in with your teammates and discuss any potential roadblocks. If someone on your team is feeling stuck or blocked, they won’t be able to be productive or work to the best of their abilities. Identifying any existing or potential roadblocks can be the difference between success and failure.

6Assign action items 

Just because your meeting has wrapped up doesn’t mean you’re off the hook. For the meeting to be worthwhile, you need to take the time to assign action items to your teammates. These action items will act as a reference point for next steps and will ensure everyone can take what they learned at the meeting and run with it. If you fail to assign action items, your team may not be prepared to move forward. 

When assigning action items, be specific. In addition to identifying the task, you also need to assign a timeline and a key stakeholder. It’s important that the person responsible for the task clearly understands for what they’re responsible, how long they have to complete it, and where they can go if they need help or additional information. 

7Align goals and expectations 

Aligned goals create a cohesive ecosystem where everyone within your organization can work to achieve a common goal. When everyone begins working towards the same objectives, you’ll be more apt to achieve your OKRs. If everyone knows what to expect upfront, you’ll also be able to create an action plan to ensure everyone is productive and efficient while working towards the bigger goal. 

8Provide an opportunity for questions 

Providing an opportunity for questions during your OKR weekly check-in is important for a variety of reasons. Not only will doing so provide everyone on the team with an equal opportunity to gain clarity, but it will also ensure the conversation doesn’t go awry. Allocating a specific section of your meeting agenda to asking questions will allow you to move from talking point to talking point without significant interruption. 

9Send a meeting follow-up email

Many people don’t realize how important it is to send a meeting follow-up email when in reality, it’s essential. Sending this email is another tactic you can use to hone in on alignment, transparency, and planning. Not only will you ultimately improve your productivity, but you’ll also be able to make sure your team is prepared and aligned on all of your goals and OKRs

When sending a meeting follow-up email, be clear and concise. You’ll want to make sure your email clearly states that it’s a follow-up to the specified meeting. In this email, you’ll want to include key takeaways, important meeting notes, and action items with their assigned stakeholders. Attaching your meeting agenda to the email after the meeting may also be beneficial if you added notes to the agenda during the meeting. 

Free OKR meeting agenda template

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Are you ready to start hosting weekly OKR check-ins? 

Setting OKRs can create a heightened sense of focus, which in turn will help your team knock your goals out of the park. However, it’s important to remember that setting OKRs can be time consuming and even sometimes frustrating if you don’t take the time to set them up and explain them properly. Hosting frequent OKR check-in meetings will ensure your team is aligned and on track. 

Following our meeting agenda template for an OKR weekly check-in meeting will ensure your meeting runs smoothly and efficiently. Encouraging your teammates to add to your interactive agenda will also help them feel included as part of the goal-setting process.