Where most companies normally put considerable effort putting some alignment framework in place, the really good ones improve this iteratively, matching the process, removing bureaucracy – so it matches the competence level over time.

1. A story of getting better at alignment
On Alignment

2. Mattias – Fun facts
blog.crisp.se/mattiasskarin
mattias.skarin@crisp.se

3. Not like this
v
v
v
v
v
v
WTF?
!??
v

4. Origin: Stephen Bungay
https://studiorupt.nl/the-self-organizing-leadership-paradox/

5. The story of Ilse

6. Early steps - OKR
Mattias Skarin

7. Mattias Skarin
She starts to read up
“OKRs is a critical thinking framework and ongoing discipline that seeks to
ensure employees work together, focusing their efforts to make measurable
contributions that drive the company forward.”
- Paul R. Niven & Ben Lamorte
“If Google are using it can’t
be wrong..”

8. Mattias Skarin
Business OKR
Company OKR
Business OKR

9. Mattias Skarin
Objective Key result
“What do we want to do (and why)?” “How will we know if we’ve met our objective?”
&
Effective objectives should be:
• Quantitative (progress on a KR should
never be a matter of opinion)
• Aspirational (set the bar high enough)
• Specific
• Owned by the team
• Vertically and horizontally aligned
Effective key results should be:
• Inspirational
• Attainable
• Doable in a Quarter
• Translated from the company strategy

10. Mattias Skarin
OKR
Objective
Short Description
Key results Target Baseline
(what can be achived with
status quo/no extra effort)
KR1
KR2
KR3
(what is my goal to achive)
Tracking
Progress
after 1m
Progress after
2m
Grading
Final OKR grading

11. Mattias Skarin
Stretch goals
I have enough to
do anyway..
So you are going to
measure me on stretch
goals.. Then I’ll make
them easy..
(after a while)

12. Mattias Skarin
What’s the strategy?
Goal 1
Goal 2
Goal 10
Goal 42
Goal 5

13. Mattias Skarin
Surprise @ Performance review
“So, how did you do on your last
OKR?”
“Well, I had a bunch of dependencies that
made it really hard to achieve it fully.. ..
And a new project got added half way..
“Aha. Hm. Well it can only get better
from here”

14. Mattias Skarin
A lot of work for little traction..
“But now Ilse, we finally have an alignment process. That’s
better than nothing.
And even if I would want to change it, the board won’t let me..”

15. Mattias Skarin
Ilse has a small breakdown

16. Ilse : There must be a better way
1. ONE Backlog
Stories
OKR’s
2. Prioritize
If others won't do
this. I’ll do it for
them..
3. WIP = what was
completed last time
Bye bye
Stretch
goal

17. Mattias Skarin
Small hack..
Objective
Short Description
Key results Target Baseline
(what can be achived with
status quo/no extra effort)
KR1
KR2
KR3
(what is my goal to achive)
Tracking
Progress
after 1m
Progress after
2m
Was: Grading
(Is there any insight that should be
shared?)
Insights & learnings
Much
better!
New

18. Mattias Skarin
Better!
But direction is still unclear..

19. Iteration 2
Mattias Skarin

20. Mattias Skarin
Ilse remembers an old quote…
“Maximize value, minimize bureaucracy”
Agile 101

21. Mattias Skarin
Spotify
Mercedes F1
Few Fortune
500

22. Mattias Skarin
History ” Auftragstaktik”
“The higher the level of command, the shorter and more
general the orders should be. Leave details of execution to
verbal instructions.
Ensure that everyone retains freedom of movement and
decision within the bounds of their authority.
The rule to follow is an order should contain all, but also
only, what subordinates cannot determine for themselves
to achieve a particular purpose.”

23. Handshaking freedom of movement
Our Mission
Responsibilities,
Mandate and
boundaries
v

24. Mattias Skarin
How decisions are
made
Observe
Act Orient
Decide
Focus of OKR
That’s we
completely
missed out!

25. Data/Context Insights Beliefs Bet
From OKR’s to Strategic bets (DIBB)

26. Data/Context Insights Beliefs Bet
From OKR’s to Strategic bets (DIBB)
Mobile is overtaking
desktop as primary
gadget
We have very few
mobile devs compared
to desktop
WTF we are optimized
for the wrong thing!
For long term survival
we have to become
mobile first
Hire a bunch of mobile
devs
Train a bunch of
desktop devs into
mobile devs
Build infrastructure to
iterate fast on mobile
How people listen to music
Desktop
Mobile
How we’re staffed
Mobile devs
Desktop devs

27. Reads about the backbreif
Is it achievable?
v

28. Mattias Skarin
CEO asks for coaching
“Work with us so we can set goals
that are strategic and instills
confidence”

29. Next mission
Mattias Skarin

30. • Value stream allocation bets
• Product roadmap & capability alignment
• Strategic Bets
• Gather data
• Situational awareness
• Budget allocation
Align in time
Mattias Skarin

31. What happened here?
Mattias Skarin

32. Mattias Skarin
What Spotify approaches differently
Implement
OKR’s
Try OKR’s
Spotify
Rhythm
“Conform to
process”
Oh crap!
“Improve the
process”
Nah. Not quite
right yet.
Still improving!
Typical organization
Spotify

33. Three levels of competitive landscapes
We have our
market cut out for
us
Improve better
than competitors
Competitive edge
to Win
Agile Strategy/
Art of action
Evolvement, for example
Spotify Rhythm
OKR’s
Mattias Skarin

34. Being clear about
what really matters
Freedom of
movement
Facilitating
Alignment with
BBB
Agile operations
Set good goals (skill) Organizational setup
Leadership habits
Leadership competence
that can be trusted
Back brief
“Is it achievable”
Elements of Agile Strategy
OKR’s
Communicating as skill
(make goals understandable)
Mattias Skarin

35. Final words
Mattias Skarin

36. ”Imagine where you will be,
and it will be so”
The first step towards a better future,
is to imagine it.

37. Mattias Skarin
Extra resources
Setting a good goal
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=djMG9sW2FNk&list=PL
qoFX5ooBh54auO7QpeunS8xqkJl0YPod&index=3&t=43s
Wardley Maps By Example
https://www.activeagileleadership.com/blog/wardley-map-by-example-and-
applicability-in-agile-strategy-video/
Bungay on Strategy execution (interview)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3YkZSYSQYis
Spotify DIBB
https://blog.crisp.se/2016/06/08/henrikkniberg/spotify-rhythm

38. Thank you!
mattias.skarin@crisp.se

39. Biggest fails
Mattias Skarin
▪ Visualizing things, when no
one cared
▪ Driving change, during
periods of high stress
▪ Scaling Agile too fast