1. Setting unachievable goals
The biggest mistake when writing OKRs is setting goals that can’t be reached. It’s good to be ambitious and aim high, but you want to motivate your team, not discourage them. Goals that are impossible will only lead to frustration.

2. Having low-value objectives or too many objectives
If you have too many goals, you really have none. Your team will lose focus, feel overwhelmed, and likely fail. It’s better and easier for teams to achieve great results with fewer goals. Another mistake is setting OKRs that don’t bring clear value to the business. Low-value OKRs are those that, even when completed, no one will notice or care about. Focus on what’s truly important.

3. Not assigning a directly responsible individual (DRI)
For each OKR, there must be one person directly responsible for completing it. Not assigning clear responsibilities can lead to confusion and a lack of discipline. Assign one person to each OKR and make sure they are accountable for its progress and completion.

4. Neglecting to monitor progress
To stay on track, you need to review and discuss progress every week. Many leaders fail at this because OKRs are easy to track, which can lead to laziness and leaving things on autopilot. Avoid this mistake by encouraging your team to aim for 100% completion each week.