The shared secret behind many fast-growing companies is a goal-setting framework called OKRs: Objectives and Key Results. Andrew Grove popularised it at Intel in the 1970s, John Doerr carried it to Google in 1999, and companies such as LinkedIn, Twitter, Uber, Microsoft and GitLab adopted it. Here are 9 companies and what they teach about goals.
Setting goals for yourself is one thing, but setting goals for an organisation of thousands is another. Welcome to Alux.com, the place where future billionaires come to get inspired. If you are not subscribed yet, you are missing out.
Prefer video? Here is the version on our channel:
What is an OKR?
| Part | What it means |
|---|---|
| Objective | A significant, concrete, inspiring goal |
| Key results | Typically 3 to 5 measurable outcomes with no grey area |
| Target score | Doerr suggests aiming for about 70% on stretch key results |
9 companies that use OKRs
1. Intel
Intel is where the framework took shape. Andrew Grove popularised what became OKRs at Intel in the 1970s and documented it in his 1983 book High Output Management. In 1975, John Doerr, then a salesperson at Intel, took a course taught by Grove where he was introduced to the theory, then called “iMBOs” (Intel Management by Objectives).
OKR stands for Objectives and Key Results. The objective needs to be concrete, and the key results have to be measurable. At the end you either did it or you did not. There is no grey area.
2. Google
Doerr moved into venture capital at Kleiner Perkins, and by 1999 he introduced OKRs to a young startup called Google. They became central to its culture. Larry Page wrote in the foreword to Doerr’s 2018 book Measure What Matters: “OKRs have helped lead us to 10× growth, many times over.”
An OKR can be written as: “I want to achieve ____ as measured by ____.” A hypothetical early example: make web surfing fast and easy, as measured by cutting page load time from 1.4 to 1 seconds by year end. The key result is measurable and gives the team a clear task.
3. LinkedIn
LinkedIn is one of the companies that adopted OKRs after Google. The network launched on 5 May 2003, and by early 2026 it had more than 1.3 billion registered members.
Former CEO Jeff Weiner has said OKRs should lean toward a stretch goal rather than a stated plan, to create greater urgency and mindshare.
4. Twitter (now X)
Dick Costolo, CEO of Twitter from 2010 to 2015, had spent two years at Google, where he learned the value of OKRs, and adopted them at Twitter. He called them a super effective way to communicate context to other teams.
Twitter has changed since: Elon Musk acquired it in October 2022 for $44 billion, and X Corp. succeeded Twitter, Inc. in March 2023. Costolo, interestingly, was a stand-up comedian before he entered tech.
5. Microsoft
Bill Gates was an excellent programmer. In 1978, he promised to deliver a software update within four weeks and delivered it two weeks late, which showed the gap between programming and project management.
John Doerr is credited with introducing Microsoft to OKRs. If you are a Gates fan, check out 15 Predictions Bill Gates Made That All Came True.
6. Uber
Uber is another large technology company associated with the OKR framework. A good OKR for a ride-hailing marketplace is simple and measurable: increase demand by growing the number of drivers and geographic coverage.
The company’s scale and the way its regulations evolve make clear goals especially valuable.
7. GitLab
GitLab is listed among the technology organisations that adopted OKRs as they became popular after Google. It is a notable example of a company that works in public and practises goal transparency.
The lesson: clear, shared goals matter more when teams are spread out.
8. Dropbox
Dropbox is a classic origin story. Drew Houston conceived it after repeatedly forgetting his USB flash drive as a student at MIT. The company was founded in 2007 by Houston and Arash Ferdowsi.
Houston has been described as modelling the company’s goal setting on Google’s OKR system, with yearly and quarterly goals. He is also a fan of Voltaire’s line “Perfect is the enemy of good.” Watch our video 15 Things You Didn’t Know About Dropbox.
9. Adobe
Adobe used to rely on an annual performance review, a process that was tedious and gave little value. Around 2012, the company is reported to have scrapped it and replaced it with “check-ins”, ongoing conversations in which managers ask what each person plans to achieve in the coming quarter and how to help them.
The idea behind it was to treat people as talent to support, not numbers to rank. It is a good example of how goal setting can be a conversation instead of a verdict.
Common OKR mistakes
OKRs were once set for individuals, teams and the whole company, but most organisations no longer define them for individual contributors, because they tend to look like task lists and get confused with performance reviews. Avoid vague words like “help” and “consult”, and prefer leading indicators that warn you early over lagging indicators that only confirm what already happened.
If every key result is hit every time, the goals are too easy. We teach exactly how to write good OKRs in our Goal Mastery course, which took over a year and a half to build. Go to our Goal Mastery course to find out how it can help you turn goals into reality.
Have you ever used a system to measure and track your goals? Let us know in the comments.
Keep reading
- How to work on a long-term plan (without having one): a flexible companion to OKRs.
- 15 leadership decisions that can make or break your future: the management side of goal setting.
FAQ
What does OKR stand for?
Objectives and Key Results, a goal-setting framework with a concrete objective and 3 to 5 measurable key results.
Who invented OKRs?
Andrew Grove popularised the approach at Intel in the 1970s and documented it in his 1983 book High Output Management. John Doerr later carried it to Google.
Which companies use OKRs?
Google, LinkedIn, Twitter (now X), Uber, Microsoft and GitLab are among the technology organisations associated with the framework.
What is a good OKR success rate?
John Doerr recommends a target of around 70% on stretch key results; if you always hit 100%, the goals may be too easy.
Should individuals have OKRs?
Many organisations no longer set them for individual contributors, since they can look like task lists. Focus on company and team level.
How did Adobe change performance reviews?
Around 2012 it is reported to have replaced annual reviews with regular “check-ins” focused on quarterly goals and support.
How we put this list together
We kept the OKR theme and dropped companies where we could not confirm the use of OKRs. We replaced out-of-date statistics with 2026 figures where available.
Last updated: October 2026.
