Thinkydoers®

One of the most challenging things for people to wrap their heads around when learning to create No-BS OKRs is the power of progress key results, otherwise known as leading indicators. But leading indicators serve as critical data that may give you objective data on which to assess your progress, and, to inform decisionmaking. Today’s guest is Elena Chopyak, a self-professed "data nerd," who I met through our mutual friend Rachel. When Rachel introduced Elena to me as an expert in leading indicators, I couldn't schedule a coffee talk fast enough. That coffee talk turned into an invitation back for this podcast episode.

Aside from Elena's wiring for data and analysis, her career history also follows the Thinkydoer pattern: a winding, multidisciplinary path included interest in working outside the U.S., and curiosity in the emergency humanitarian space, which ultimately lead her to working with the International Rescue Committee (IRC) in Iraq for two years. She was brought on in a monitoring and evaluation role in child protection and education, where she became responsible for instrumenting, monitoring, and reporting on important indicators to assess impact; and then moved into a role in IRC's emergency response team that was focused both on monitoring and informing decisions about natural disaster and armed conflict responses (as well as deploying, herself).

In this episode, you’ll hear about Elena's experiences and learnings working with leading indicators in high-stakes settings, tips for creating leading indicators that are useful and actionable, and, more about her self-described "squiggly" career.

Also: the No-BS OKRs Workbook is live; we're getting ready to launch our No-BS OKRs Self-Assessment Tool; and the best way to keep track of what's happening with Thinkydoers and No-BS OKRs is to join our mailing list!

Key Points From This Episode:

• How Elena ended up in the nonprofit space working on leading indicators.
• What drew her to the data and analytics side of nonprofit work.
• The purpose that leading indicators serve in resource-constrained companies.
• Challenges of creating leading indicators that provide actionable data.
• Two ways to determine whether or not an indicator is useful.
• Why there is no such thing as a perfect decision, even in high-stakes settings.
• Working back from your ‘why’ and other pro tips for creating leading indicators.
• Reasons that intentionality and testing are so important.
• Setbacks that ended up propelling Elena’s career forward.
• The value of having thought partners and focusing on tangible change.
• How continuous learning and mentorship can benefit your career.

Quotes:

“It’s important not to wait until something is a full-blown emergency and has made it to the news – One of our responsibilities is to be prepared – That’s why [leading indicators are] so important.” — Elena Chopyak [11:25]

“We don’t create leading indicators so that we have pretty numbers on a dashboard in any setting. We create leading indicators because we’re going to use them to inform a decision.” — @saralobkovich [15:50]

“It comes back to thinking about the why. Why are you going to collect this [data]? Who is going to look at it? Who is using it? – Who is actually going to make any actionable change based on the data you’re collecting?” — Elena Chopyak [20:33]

“If you have a squiggly career, just know there are people who appreciate that. There are people who themselves have linear careers and don’t understand you. That’s fine, but there are those people out there who will appreciate your varied background.” — Elena Chopyak [27:22]

Mentioned in this episode:

Limited Time Offer: Strategy During Chaos

Feeling overwhelmed by constant change and uncertainty in your strategic planning? Discover a proven three-step framework for maintaining strategic focus when everything feels unpredictable in our upcoming "Strategy During Chaos" Workshop (May 7th, just $19) or dive deeper with our No-BS Strategic Achievement Intensive (May 15-16). Visit https://saralobkovich.com to secure your spot and transform how you operate strategically during turbulent times.

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This is a bit unconventional ... but today, the host of Thinkydoers is the guest!

Please welcome Sten Pittet, Co-Founder and CEO of Tability, a collaboration platform for outcome-driven teams, as this week’s Guest Host of Thinkydoers ... with OKR Coach and creator of No-BS OKRs (and Thinkydoer’s host) Sara Lobkovich in the hot seat!

If you're a regular listener you might be thinking:

"WTF? A platform guest?!"

But hear me out. Sten is with a platform... and he's also a Thinkydoer. We've been in touch here and there for almost a year now, and when he asked during our last chat if he could interview me for a podcast episode ... I just couldn't pass up the chance to answer questions from another pro in my network.

Today's episode is part one of a two-part series. Here, Sten asks me the questions he's been waiting to ask me while a recording is rolling ever since our first chat.

We touch on my own journey with OKRs, including how they've shaped my career and practice, some of the challenges organizations encounter when trying to implement them, and my unique No-BS OKRs approach, which focuses in efficiency and simplicity.

Sten also makes a great plug (unsolicited!) for my No-BS OKRs Workbook, which is currently available as a PDF download from https://findrc.co/pdfworkbook (USD) or https://findrc.co/pdfwkbkAUD (AUD) and will be available in print later this fall, along with my first full-length release: You Are A Strategist: Using No-BS Objectives and Key Results To Get Big Things Done.

Come back next week for part two of the series, when I get to turn the tables and ask Sten about his Thinkydoer career, which took him from development into product management, and now into the CEO and founder role; and, about why and how Tability came to be.

Episode Highlights

• Sara’s Journey with OKRs: From an individual contributor struggling with unclear expectations to an executive leader and consultant, Sara shares how setting measurable goals transformed her work satisfaction and effectiveness.
• Challenges with OKRs: Discussion of why OKRs can be challenging to implement, particularly when leaders do not model the practice.
• No-BS OKRs Approach: Sara explains her “No-BS OKRs” approach, focusing on simplicity and practicality, and the development of her No-BS OKRs Workbook.
• Upcoming Book: “You Are A Strategist” Sara talks about her upcoming book, which aims to help individuals discover their inner strategist and use OKRs as a tool for career success.

Common Questions

• What are OKRs? OKRs (Objectives and Key Results) are a goal-setting framework that helps organizations align their efforts and measure progress.
• Why are OKRs challenging to implement? OKRs can be challenging because there is no single "standard" or set of "rules" for implementing them; and also, when leaders do not model the practice or invest time in learning the framework.
• What is the No-BS OKRs approach? A pragmatic approach to OKRs that focuses on simplicity, efficiency, and usefulness to facilitate learning and improvement toward higher performance.
• How can OKRs benefit my career? OKRs help fill information gaps so you can spend less time mind-reading and more time focused on what's most important. They also help teams align work to important goals, and provide a shared definition of success for teams to aim for.

Notable Quotes:

• “My whole life as an individual contributor was trying to learn how to read minds because I just, I don’t know if some people can figure out what’s expected or if some people are less sensitive to that. And so they just kind of work to their inner compass, but I really struggled to understand what was expected.” - Sara Lobkovich, Creator, No-BS OKRs
• “I fundamentally believe that every person listening to this podcast is a potential future CEO. That’s just how I approach everyone I work with.” - Sara Lobkovich, Creator, No-BS OKRs
• “OKRs sometimes get brought in by the people just like Agile, you know, just like Scrum. And so sometimes the methodology comes in within the organization, but a lot of times OKRs come in through the C-suite or come in through the executives with a model of ‘I want more performance from our team.’” - Sara Lobkovich, Creator, No-BS OKRs
• “When we have leaders that model those behaviors, that’s when implementations tend to be really successful, because then that’s when people in the organization see this is beneficial for me because it fills in my information gaps. It mak...

Are you an overthinker who can't seem to quiet your mind? A perfectionist struggling to find peace in a chaotic world? This episode is your lifeline. Dr. Alice Rizzi, a licensed psychologist and mindfulness coach, breaks down the myths about mindfulness and offers practical, accessible techniques that even the busiest minds can embrace. Discover how just 30 seconds a day can transform your mental landscape and why traditional meditation isn't the only path to mindfulness. Whether you've tried mindfulness before and given up, or you're completely new to the concept, this episode promises to revolutionize your approach to mental well-being.

Episode Highlights:

• Dr. Rizzi's refreshing definition of mindfulness that goes beyond sitting still
• The surprising difference between mindfulness and meditation
• Game-changing mindfulness techniques tailored for overthinkers and perfectionists
• How to start a mindfulness practice when you think you have no time
• Simple grounding exercises that can calm your nervous system in seconds
• The overlooked importance of self-compassion in mindfulness practice

Common Questions Addressed:

• What is mindfulness, really, and how is it different from meditation?
• Can overthinkers and perfectionists actually benefit from mindfulness?
• What are some quick, no-nonsense ways to incorporate mindfulness into a hectic life?
• How can mindfulness help manage the overwhelming stress and anxiety of modern life?

Notable Quotes:

Episode Chapters:

00:00 Introduction to Thinkydoers Podcast

01:27 Goal Fridays: A Series for Changemakers

02:45 Meet Dr. Alice Rizzi: Mindfulness Expert

04:35 Understanding Mindfulness and Meditation

06:44 Mindfulness for High Achievers and Overthinkers

09:48 Grounding Techniques for Overthinkers

16:28 The Power of Self-Compassion and Non-Judgment

21:52 Practical Tips for Mindfulness Practice

32:11 Conclusion and Resources

Key Takeaways:

• Forget long meditation sessions; brief daily practices can be more effective for busy minds.
• Learn the "five, four, three, two, one" grounding technique to instantly reconnect with the present moment.
• Discover why self-compassion might be the missing piece in your mindfulness journey.
• Explore how a simple self-hug can regulate your nervous system faster than you think.

Resources Mentioned:

• Dr. Alice Rizzi's Instagram: @DrAliceRizzi
• Website: togethermindful.com (free mindfulness toolkit available
• Therapy services (NY and FL): dralicerizzi.com

Sara's Links and Resources:

• Join this Fall's Goal Fridays free live series: https://findrc.co/goalfridays
• The No-BS OKRs Workbook, currently available as a PDF download from https://findrc.co/pdfworkbook (USD) or https://findrc.co/pdfwkbkAUD (AUD)
• Join the Launch Squad for Sara's Upcoming Books: You Are A Strategist and the No-BS OKRs Workbook
• Join Sara's Email Newsletter
• Email Sara at [email protected]
• Thinkydoers (not-just-an OKR podcast) Home Page

Whether you're a seasoned mindfulness practitioner or a skeptical beginner, this episode offers fresh insights and practical tools to help you navigate life's challenges with greater ease and presence.

Mentioned in this episode:

Limited Time Offer: Strategy During Chaos

Feeling overwhelmed by constant change and uncertainty in your strategic planning? Discover a proven three-step framework for maintaining strategic focus when everything feels unpredictable in our upcoming "Strategy During Chaos" Workshop (May 7th, just $19) or dive deeper with our No-BS Strategic Achievement Intensive (May 15-16). Visit https://saralobkovich.com to secure your spot...

In this Thinkydoers short, I'm sharing a few exciting updates from Red Currant Collective. For one, we just revealed the covers for my two upcoming books: the "No-BS OKRs Workbook" and "You Are A Strategist: Use No-BS Objectives and Key Results to Get Big Things Done." The Workbook, set to print in Q3, provides essential tools for creating effective OKRs quickly, while "You Are A Strategist" is a playbook for change-makers to connect strategy with goal-exceeding implementation and will fast-follow the Workbook's release -- all in time to help with your year-end reset!

Highlights:

• Book Reveals: Sara announces the cover reveal of her two books, emphasizing the practicality of the "No-BS OKRs Workbook" and the strategic depth of "You Are A Strategist"
• Not Sure You're a Strategist? Think Again!: A few quick thoughts on the importance of strategic thinking in today's fast-paced business environment, and an invitation to reflect on your own strategic capabilities
• Live OKR Coaching: Sara shares her experience hosting a LinkedIn Live session, offering free OKR coaching, and invites listeners to participate in future sessions
• Coaching Course: Details are provided about the upcoming "Coaching No-BS OKRs" course, designed for those looking to enhance their OKR coaching skills
• Gratitude and Acknowledgements: Sara expresses gratitude for the support received during her book-writing process and teases future interview episodes for the podcast.

Call to Action:

• Book Pre-Launch: Join the pre-launch crew for Sara's books at findrc.co/yaas
• LinkedIn Live: Follow Sara on LinkedIn for updates on live OKR coaching sessions at linkedin.com/in/SaraLobkovich
• Coaching Course Registration: Apply for the upcoming "Coaching No-BS OKRs" course at findrc.co/okrcoachtraining
• Podcast Participation: If you're interested in being a guest on Thinkydoers, use the link in the show notes to express your interest: Thinkydoers Podcast Guest Application

Closing Thoughts: Sara encourages listeners to focus on their important goals and looks forward to sharing more insights in the next episode.

For more information, or to pitch a guest appearance on this podcast, please visit: https://saralobkovich.com/thinkydoers-pod

Mentioned in this episode:

Limited Time Offer: Strategy During Chaos

Feeling overwhelmed by constant change and uncertainty in your strategic planning? Discover a proven three-step framework for maintaining strategic focus when everything feels unpredictable in our upcoming "Strategy During Chaos" Workshop (May 7th, just $19) or dive deeper with our No-BS Strategic Achievement Intensive (May 15-16). Visit https://saralobkovich.com to secure your spot and transform how you operate strategically during turbulent times.

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Today, we take a step back and answer the obvious question: what are Evolutionary Objectives and Key Results (OKRs) and why are they important?

OKRs are a method for setting collaborative, objectively measurable goals made popular by the book Measure What Matters, which creates enormous excitement about the potential of OKRs, but leaves many teams and leaders frustrating trying to figure out how to implement them.

This episode introduces the Red Currant Collective brand of OKRs: Evolutionary OKRs. Evolutionary OKRs are designed to create meaningful change and help organizations transform and actually do better. Tuning in, you’ll hear about how OKRs started and how they became widely used before we break down the differences between Evolutionary OKRs and other forms of planning. You’ll learn more about the characteristics of great OKRs and how they can benefit both corporate performance and individuals. We further discuss the differences between Objectives and Key Results, the qualities of strong Objectives, what we consider "Textbook Key Results," and examples of both. If you would like an introduction to OKRs to share with your colleagues, your leaders, and other stakeholders, or even just a reminder of the basics for yourself, this episode is for you!

Key Points From This Episode:

• An introduction to what OKRs are and how they became widely used.
• The benefits of OKRs for individuals.
• Differences between OKRs and other forms of planning.
• Characteristics of great OKRs, starting with why they should fit on a page.
• Why objectives are directional and key results are measurable.
• An example OKR cadence for an organization.
• Defining objectives, the qualities of strong objectives, and some examples.
• What “watermelon metrics” are and how measurable key results can help us avoid them.
• A definition of key results.
• What “textbook key results” are, why we aim for them, and a few examples.
• How you can find out more about Evolutionary OKRs.

Tweetables:

“In addition to being a collaborative goal-setting methodology, we think of OKRs as a thinking, deciding, and learning practice that helps us achieve greater growth, transformation and innovation by aligning on our most important measures of progress and success.” — @saralobkovich [0:05:36]

“Evolutionary OKRs mean thinking deeply about what's important and what might be possible. Identifying which measures of progress and success help us make better decisions in our work and organizations.” — @saralobkovich [0:05:54]

“OKRs let us define our own success and progress measures even when external expectations aren’t clear. They help us focus on what's most important, not only what's urgent.” — @saralobkovich [0:06:27]

“Think of objectives like strategic or visionary pillars. Added together, they describe what's most important for us to make progress on so that we are moving toward achieving our strategic priorities.” — @saralobkovich [0:12:48]

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

• Red Currant Collective Waitlists
• Achieve change with No-BS OKRs
• Sara Lobkovich Email
• Red Currant Collective
• Sign up for the RedCurrant Newsletter
• Red Currant Collective on Instagram
• Thinkydoers
• Sara Lobkovich
• Sara Lobkovich on Instagram

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Mentioned in this episode:

Limited Time Offer: Strategy During Chaos

Feeling overwhelmed by constant change and uncertainty in your strategic planning? Discover a proven three-step framework for maintaining strategic focus when everything feels unpredictable in our upcoming "Strategy During Chaos" Workshop (May 7th, just $19) or dive deeper with our No-BS Strategic Achievement Intensive (May 15-16). Visit https://saralobkovich.com to secure your spot and transform how you operate strategically during turbulent times.

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