1. Program Playbook
BetterWorks Customer Success

2. Playbook Introduction
The purpose of this playbook is to provide a how-to guide on creating a successful OKR- based program leveraging BetterWorks.
This playbook is for program managers, program team members, and Goal Masters.
Use this playbook to develop, launch and run a program leveraging OKRs as a vehicle to consistently deliver targeted results.
This playbook is not an overview of OKRs, rather a playbook on how to build a program for supporting an OKR program at your company.
As a program team, review the playbook and tailor the sections that includes specifics that are relevant for your program.
Make this playbook your own.

3. What You Will Need
Playbook Introduction
Have someone in your program team document the answers to each of these questions outlined in the Playbook
Have the following items in mind:
Who will run this program? How do we ensure program success? (e.g., do I need a strong executive sponsor? etc.)
How do I communicate this program to all employees?
How will new employees learn about OKRs and the program?

4. Playbook for Achieving Operational Excellence
Follow our template to define, launch, and manage your program:
Pick the team.
Select use cases and success metrics.
Define program guidelines.
Determine cadence.
Select and prepare participants.
Select launch date.
Communicate the schedule.

5. Your Program Team Program Manager [NAME] Executive Sponsor [NAME]
Partners
[NAME]
Champions
[NAME]
Responsibilities:
Oversees entire launch and rollout process
Manages ongoing communication and monitoring
Responsibilities:
Champions goal setting
Communicates program progress and status
Responsibilities:
IT: Supports integrations as needed (e.g., authentication)
Communications
Learning & development (e.g., lead training)
Responsibilities:
Complete Goal Masters certification and become internal OKR / BetterWorks SMEs
Serve as positive role models

6. Success Metrics: What Does “Success” Look Like?
selected
selected
Alignment
Transparency
Engagement
Sample Metric:
At least 50% of goals are aligned
Sample Metric:
At least 50% of goals are public
Sample Metric
Per survey, employees feel connected and that contribution matters
How do you view success in your company? What is the “burning platform” for why your company is using OKRs, setting goals, using BetterWorks? Is it to achieve better alignment, improve transparency, increase employee engagement, expedite onboarding, or make management discussions between teams easier and more productive? Identify these and include them in your Program Purpose.
Onboarding
Management
Adoption
Sample Metric:
New hires are onboarded 50% more quickly
Sample Metrics:
100% of team has goals
100% of goals are assessed with team/manager monthly
Sample Metrics:
75% use BetterWorks at least once a month
90% of users have 3+ goals

7. Recommended Roll Out Approach
Phased Approach
Goal Cadence
Progress Meetings
Start with a smaller scope and add in phases
Quarterly
(How are we progressing)
Bi-weekly with Program Team
Goal Assessment Meetings
Communications
Company Events
(Did we achieve our goals?)
Quarterly
Company wide updates, team meetings, messaging
Align to a company wide meeting, or company event

8. Roll Out Approach: Select Scope and Participants
selected
BetterWorks recommends using one of two approaches:
1. By Levels
2. Narrow and Deep
Start with high-level executives and then add levels
1 or 2 groups but start with high-level executives
All approaches use a phased approach
First high level managers create their goals and then assign milestones
Next level builds out goals and then assign milestones

9. Determine Key Policies
It’s best to set expectation early around key policies.
BetterWorks Recommendations
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Does everyone have to participate?
Q: If so, what is an acceptable level of participation?
Q: Does this affect my salary, MBO, bonus?
Q: How do managers support this?
Targeted participants should have 3-5 active goals
Check-in at least once a month
Goal performance can be an input into the performance discussion
Managers lead by example: Discuss goals in 1-on-1 and team meetings

10. Determine Goal Cadence
How often do we expect to set goals?
BetterWorks Recommendations
Monthly?
Quarterly?
Semi-annually?
Annually?
Quarterly: Most effective for keeping people on track but not adding much overhead

11. Determine Launch Timeline
When do we want to launch BetterWorks to scoped users?
BetterWorks Recommended Launch Milestones
Phase 1 (high level managers) to have their goals entered in BetterWorks: tbd
Platform training for 1st phase: tbd
Subsequent phase goals entered in BetterWorks: tbd
Platform training for subsequent phases: tbd
All scoped users have goals entered in BetterWorks: tbd
Platform training for all users: tbd

12. Determine Communications Approach
A goal setting program is most effective when we define a communication plan to support it.
BetterWorks Recommended Communications Approach
What?
Document and explain the program and participation expectation.
How?
, intranet, posters, videos, etc.
When / Where?
Company, team, and 1-on-1 meetings
Who Does What?
BetterWorks managed
Customer managed
Joint

13. Sample Communications Schedule
Message
Description
When
Owner
Program intro
Inform participants the program is starting/changing. Include participation expectations and schedule.
At least 2-4 weeks before launch
Executive Launch
Asks executive participants to start creating goals and have them finished by specific date.
1-2 weeks before launch
First Launch
Asks participant to start creating goals and have them finished by specific date.
Per your schedule
Goal Reminder
Send to participants who have NOT created goals.
1 week after launch
Check In Reminder
Send to participants who have NOT checked in to their active goals.
3 weeks after launch
Assessment Start
Send to participants that goal assessment should begin; communicate deadline for completion.
2 weeks before end of period
Start
Send to participants that goal assessment has ended and a new quarter is beginning. Ask participants to archive/score goals and create new ones for the new period.
First day of new period

14. Sample Success Plan Task Description Phase Owner Status
Kickoff meeting completed
Introduce BetterWorks and its team.
Onboarding
BetterWorks
Select user authentication approach
How will customer log in?
Both
Finalize project team
Who is leading the program?
Customer
Finalize group/user scope
Select groups/users to include in first phase
Use case and success metrics selected
How will we measure success?
Define program intro, and guidelines
Why are your teams goal setting? Be sure to document and publish the purpose of your program and the expectations you have of participants.
Select goal or OKR language
Ask BetterWorks to load Goal or OKR language into your environment.

15. How will we support the program?
Program Support
How will we support the program?
Ongoing Communications & Program Questions:
You
Technical & Product Questions:
BetterWorks Support
Click the ? icon in the product
Ongoing Learning &Feedback:
VIP Club
Goal Masters
Ongoing Coaching & Training

16. Action Items Customize Rollout Plan with Dates & Activities
Add users and groups to BetterWorks
Setup Admins in Betterworks
Train Program Team
Determine Top Company Goals
Create Program guidelines, policies, etc.

17. Appendix

18. Learn more about OKRs – Supplemental Materials
Topics
Getting Started with OKRs
Goal Science Whitepaper
BetterWorks OKR Guide on Slideshare
Rick Klaus of Google Venture Video Explaining How Google Does It
How Google Works, book by Eric Schmidt and Jonathan Rosenberg

19. How High Performing Companies Manage Goals
OPEN
Transparent and all individuals participate
ASPIRATIONAL
Stretch goals not tied to compensation
FREQUENT
Quarterly and monthly check-ins
Create visibility- Everyone’s goals are visible across the company, openly available for anyone to see this helps not only with visibility, but also with alignment since goals can then be easily set top-down, bottom-up and even sideways/cross-functionally.
Encourage stretch and aspirational goals- Everyone is required to set aspirational goals and encouraged to stretch to achieve them; This is done by typically uncoupling the goal setting process from the compensation process in companies
Manage quarterly- Goal Setting takes place quarterly (not annually), and check-ins happen throughout the quarter to track goal progress..

20. Challenges to Operational Excellence and Employee Engagement
EXECUTIVES
MANAGERS
INDIVIDUALS
Lack of alignment and accountability
Teams wasting up to 25% on non-critical projects
Hard to get visibility on problem areas
Reactive, putting out fires, constant distraction
Costly communication overhead with Excel, Word, Google Docs
Lack of tools to drive performance
Feel disengaged and unmotivated
Busy yet working on the wrong things
Desire more feedback and recognition

21. Goal Science™ Thinking
BetterWorks provides a centralized way to set, track and manage goals
Connected
Vertical and horizontal aligment and clarity
Supported
Working transparently with social reinforcement and recognition
Progress Based
Frequent, measurable feedback and frequent wins
Adaptable
Flexibility to respond to changing goals and business needs
Aspirational
Promote greater achievement and encourage excellence