Timing is Everything: When to Start Planning Next Year's OKRs

It’s January 2025. We’re back from the holidays, our minds still buzzing from the joy of good wine and indulgent food. Decorations are slowly being packed away, and perhaps the last piece of pie is still lingering on the table. As we clear our desks and begin skimming through schedules, past emails, and tasks, a pressing question comes to mind: What’s this year’s strategy? What do we want to achieve? By the end of 2025, what milestones will we have hit? What overarching theme will drive our teams, our companies?

Silence, you can almost see tumbleweeds.

Does this sound familiar? Have you experienced this post-holiday scramble?

I have, more times than I’d like to admit. Every time I’ve asked, What’s our strategy for the year ahead?, I’m often met with blank stares, as if I’ve posed an existential question or asked for a solution to quantum physics. Yet, it’s essential to ask this question early. By October, I’m already piecing together next year’s plan in my mind, gathering ideas throughout the year, refining them as I go. But when I start sharing this in Q4, I often hear, “Reuben, are you seriously thinking about this right now?”

Yes, I am – and someone has to. Because, by the time we return in January, we’ve already lost valuable time. Most of January is spent getting back into rhythm, and then February is used to articulate our goals and rally the necessary stakeholders. By the time the dust settles, it’s March, and we’re finally ready to start talking about the year’s objectives. But hang on – haven’t we just lost a quarter of the year? Now, we’re scrambling to catch up.

This cycle can be incredibly frustrating, and it leads to missed opportunities and potentially to an unachievable rest of the year. The solution is simple: start planning earlier.

Q4 is the Perfect Time to Start

The end of the year isn’t just about closing deals and hitting targets (though that’s important too). It’s the ideal time to gather feedback and align stakeholders for the year ahead. I start preparing as early as October because this allows enough time to assess the current year’s performance and start defining clear objectives for the upcoming year.

In my process, I schedule an OKR retrospective as early as September. This gives everyone the chance to reflect on what worked, what didn’t, and what we could have done better. By doing this early enough, the retrospective serves as a priming exercise – setting the tone for the upcoming year’s OKRs. We’re not just reflecting for reflection’s sake, but to make tangible improvements for the next cycle. If we don’t learn from our mistakes, how can we grow?

Standardising the Process

If your organisation is already using OKRs to align people and keep everyone focused, the next step is to standardise the process. Having a well-structured OKR template ensures consistency and makes the process much smoother. You don’t want to reinvent the wheel every year.

From the retro, there will always be lessons learned – things you can do better next time. This continuous improvement mindset is essential, otherwise, your organisation will stagnate. Remember, no growth means no KAIZEN – the art of continual improvement. These learnings should directly influence next year’s OKRs.

Monthly OKR Discussions

One of the most valuable practices I’ve implemented is dedicating time to discuss OKRs every month with all stakeholders. This helps keep the objectives alive throughout the year, allowing us to adjust as needed. During these meetings, we also start talking about the future, ensuring that we have an eye on the next year, even if it feels far off.

Ask yourself and your team: Does our organisation’s vision remain the same for next year? If not, you need to nail that down first. Once you’re aligned on the vision, start articulating the objectives.

Setting Clear and Achievable Objectives

A good tip I’ve found effective is asking this question: It’s December 2025 – what do we want to have achieved by now? Consider what growth targets you want to hit. Is it revenue? Customer satisfaction? Employee engagement? Set these specific targets early, and make sure they are measurable. Replace the ‘X’ in your objectives with something tangible – whether it’s a percentage of revenue growth, customer count, or some other metric.

And remember, you don’t need a laundry list of 15,000 objectives. The beauty of OKRs is their simplicity. Keep the objectives just out of reach, challenging yet achievable. People should be able to remember them easily, and they should be clear, concise, and actionable.

Refresh Regularly

OKRs aren’t meant to be set and forgotten. Refresh them monthly, and make them central to how your organisation operates. They are the compass that keeps everyone aligned and focused on achieving the right outcomes. The more integrated they are in daily operations, the more likely they are to drive your organisation towards success.

So to recap here's a short list of actions

1. Review and Reflection (Q3 - Early Q4):

   • Evaluate the current year's OKRs, identifying successes, challenges, and unmet objectives.

   • Gather insights from various teams, leadership, and departments.

   • Assess how market conditions, customer needs, or internal changes may impact the upcoming year's goals.

   
   

2. Strategic Planning and Goal Setting (Mid Q4):

   • Based on the review, start drafting high-level objectives for the next year that align with your company’s long-term strategy.

   • Engage key stakeholders to ensure alignment between company-wide OKRs and departmental or team-specific goals.

     
     

3. Finalisation and Communication (Late Q4):

   • Finalise the OKRs, making sure they are clear, measurable, and attainable.

   • Communicate the OKRs across the organisation, ensuring all teams understand how their work will contribute to the overall goals.

     
     

4. Kick-off and Implementation (Start of Q1):

   • Begin tracking progress from the start of the new year, with clear priorities in place.

Need Help with Your OKRs?

If you’re reading this and still find yourself struggling to define or implement your OKRs, don’t hesitate to reach out. I’ve helped numerous teams and organisations streamline their OKR process, align stakeholders, and set meaningful, achievable objectives.

Whether you’re just starting out or looking to refine your existing OKR framework, I’d be happy to help.

Feel free to connect with me directly, and let’s work together to make sure 2025 is a year of focused growth and success for your organisation.