Defining meaningful Team OKRs isn’t easy. Too often, leaders draft them in isolation or cascade them down from above – and then wonder why their teams lack commitment. Over the years, I’ve facilitated countless workshops to help teams create OKRs they actually believe in. Along the way, I’ve discovered what works – and, more importantly, what doesn’t. One of my favorite techniques for unlocking alignment and creativity is what I call The OKR Time Machine Activity. It’s a simple but powerful exercise that helps teams step out of the present and envision their success in the future.

The First Key: Time!

My first piece of advice? Don’t underestimate the need for a proper workshop to define your Team OKRs. You need time. I suggest setting aside two to four hours for this process.

I know this is often the biggest challenge.

“We don’t have time for a long session,” people say.

So what happens? Instead of taking the time to align as a team, leaders either accept a cascaded OKR and hand it down to the team or write one alone. They might search for an OKR from a similar team, ask an AI tool for suggestions, or draft something in isolation and simply share it with the team.

That’s a terrible approach.

Why? Because the team wasn’t involved in the process, and without involvement, there’s no commitment. Team OKRs should be owned by the team, not imposed on them.

The Second Key: Writing Team OKRs Is Hard

Even with enough time, writing OKRs can feel like climbing a mountain. That’s where the OKR Time Machine Activity comes in. It helps the team step out of day-to-day chaos and into a creative space where they can see the bigger picture.

Here’s how it works.

Step-by-Step: The OKR Time Machine Activity

Step 1: Understand the Current Context

Before defining where you want to go, align on where you are now.

Ask the team:

• Where are we now?

• What problems are we encountering?

• What challenges are ahead?

• What is the expectation on the team?

📝 Facilitation Tip: Have participants write answers on sticky notes (physical or digital) and place them on the left side of a canvas labeled Current Context.

Step 2: Time Travel to the Future – Defining the Objective

Now comes the fun part: stepping into the time machine and traveling into the future to envision success.

What I typically say:

“Close your eyes for a moment. Imagine stepping into a time machine. I’m setting the dial for [choose a date ahead]. 3…2…1… KAZAM! We’ve arrived. Look around – what does success look like? What have we accomplished?”

Ask the team:

• Where have we arrived?

• What have we accomplished?

Facilitation Tip: On the canvas, label the top right corner as Objective.

Step 3: Return to the Present – Identify Progress Indicators

Guide the team back to the present and ask:

“What actions can we take to progress toward this goal? What indicators show progress toward our objective?”

This step helps the team identify leading indicators – early signs that they’re on track.

Facilitation Tips:

• Use different sticky note colors for each participant.

• Encourage placement of notes along a timeline to map progress.

• Keep one idea per sticky note for flexibility.

Step 4: Define Key Results (KRs)

Translate the indicators into measurable Key Results.

Reminder: Key Results aren’t just metrics. Challenge the team to move beyond outputs (e.g., “launch a landing page”) and create outcome-based KRs that reflect real progress.

Ask:

• Why does this matter?

• How will we measure progress beyond completing tasks?

Step 5: Review and Refine

End with a refinement round:

“Imagine someone outside this session reading our Team OKR. Will they fully understand it? Does it clearly capture what we set out to achieve?”

Checklist for Review:
✔ Clear and concise
✔ Aligned with team and organizational goals
✔ Contains only essential elements – no fluff

Leading vs. Lagging Indicators: Why Step 3 Matters (a lot!)

One of the most common OKR mistakes is confusing lagging indicators (results that confirm success after the fact) with leading indicators (signals that show progress along the way).

In Step 3 of the Time Machine Activity, we ask the team to return to the present and think about the indicators that show they’re making progress toward the objective. This can feel challenging at first – but it’s critical.

Lagging indicators tell you if you’ve achieved your goal – but by then, it’s too late to adjust. Leading indicators provide early signals so your team can course-correct before it’s too late.

Example:

Objective: Increase revenue by 20% by the end of the year.
❌ Poor KRs:

• Increase total revenue by 20%.

• Achieve $1M in sales by Q4.
  Why these don’t work: They only confirm success after it happens.

✅ Better KRs (Leading Indicators):

• Increase the number of qualified leads per month.

• Improve customer retention rate from 75% to 85% by Q3.

Facilitation Tip: Don’t explain the difference between leading and lagging indicators in the session. Just guide the team through the Time Machine Activity. The analogy does the heavy lifting – by the end, they’ll naturally surface stronger, action-driving Key Results.

The OKR Time Machine Activity Works Nicely!

Defining a Team OKR isn’t just about writing goals – it’s about ensuring the team is aligned, engaged, and set up for success. The Time Machine Activity creates the space for this alignment to happen.

It also helps teams naturally shift from lagging indicators (final outcomes) to leading indicators (early signs of progress). This shift is critical for writing OKRs that drive meaningful action instead of just tracking results after the fact.

Want More?

This activity is one of many facilitation tools I share in my book:
Team OKR in Action: How Real Teams Turn Strategy Into Results.

If you found this useful, check out the book for more step-by-step guides, real-life examples, and insights to help your team succeed.