A clear objective sets your team’s direction - but it’s your key results that drive the movement. They’re how you measure progress, track outcomes, and stay accountable to what really matters.
Without strong key results, even the most inspiring objective becomes little more than a wish. You risk chasing activity instead of outcomes, and checking off tasks instead of creating impact.
So what exactly is a key result? How do you write one that actually works? And how can you use them to keep your team focused and aligned as you scale?
Let’s break it down.
What Is a Key Result?
A Key Result is a specific, measurable outcome that indicates progress toward an objective - within the OKR framework.
Where the objective defines where you're going, the key result tells you how you'll know you're getting there. It's a success signal, not just a list of things to do.
Objective: Improve trial-to-paid conversion
Key Result: Increase conversion rate from 8% to 15%
That’s the core of it. A key result should show movement, reflect value, and be something you can track in real time - not something you “hope” to get done.
What Makes a Key Result Work?
Let’s be honest: most key results fail because they’re either too vague, too passive, or too tied to effort instead of outcomes.
Great key results, on the other hand, follow a predictable pattern. Here's a quick checklist:
In short: you either hit it or you didn’t.
What a Key Result Is Not
To write good key results, you need to avoid writing bad ones. That means cutting out:
- Tasks ("Send 3 email campaigns")
- Activities ("Launch landing page")
- Aspirations ("Be more data-driven")
Let’s turn those into outcomes:
If your key result can be completed without moving the needle, it’s not doing its job.
Key Results vs. Metrics
Here’s a nuance that trips up a lot of teams: not all metrics are key results.
A metric is something you observe.
A key result is something you move.
For example:
- Metric: Churn rate
- Key Result: Reduce churn from 6% to 3% by end of Q3
Metrics inform your work. Key results define your success.
Real-World Examples: Strong Key Results by Objective
To make this real, here are a few sample OKRs; objectives paired with high-quality key results:
These aren’t tasks - they’re outcomes. Each one is trackable, meaningful, and tightly aligned with the broader objective.
5 Mistakes to Avoid with Key Results
Even well-intentioned teams fall into these traps:
- Confusing effort with impact
Launching something isn’t the same as improving adoption. - Skipping the baseline
“Improve engagement” is meaningless without a starting point. - Overloading with too many key results
Stick to 2–4 per objective. More than that = confusion. - Relying on vanity metrics
Choose results that connect to growth, retention, or satisfaction - not just visibility. - Leaving ownership unclear
Every key result should have a directly responsible person, even if they’re coordinating with others.
How to Track Key Results (Without Weekly Status Theater)
Writing great key results is step one - tracking them is where the magic happens.
Here’s a rhythm that works:
- Weekly check-ins: Update progress and flag blockers
- Monthly reviews: Adjust scope, fix risks, recalibrate
- Quarterly retros: Learn what worked, what didn’t, and why
If your team is still wrangling spreadsheets and Slack updates, it’s time to level up. A dedicated tool like OKRs Tool helps you track key results in real time - without meetings, micromanagement, or clutter.
How Key Results Fit into the Bigger Picture
To wrap this all up, here’s how key results sit in the OKR system:
Objectives give direction. Key results create clarity. Initiatives drive execution.
When these three are in sync, teams move faster - with less noise.
Final Thoughts
Strong key results are more than good reporting - they’re the engine of execution.
They tell your team what success looks like, where to focus, and when to adjust. And when written well, they create momentum instead of micromanagement.
So don’t stop at objectives.
Write key results that turn direction into progress - and progress into results.
