Digital Opsessions
Bi-weekly insights on maximizing productivity and empowering teams with Notion.
Did you know...
Only 20% of companies achieve more than 80% of their strategic goals, as reported by the Harvard Business Review.
Why is that?
I believe it’s because most don’t have a structured system to access and manage their goals across the entire organization.
I came to this conclusion after we recently helped one of our clients with their goal-setting in Notion. They previously had a basic overview setup in Coda, with various departments using different tools like Google Sheets, Lattice, Asana, etc., for their teams 🫥. This fragmented approach caused inconsistencies, making it challenging to get a clear overview of their goals and progress as a company.
How we help them
To begin with, we eliminated their organizational silos and introduced Notion as the single source of truth. Then, we built a system based on the OKR framework but tailored it to their specific needs.
This system comprises three key components:
Intents
The ‘Intents’ component is crucial as it represents the client’s objectives or goals. It’s designed to guide various departments and teams, ensuring everyone is aligned towards a common goal.
In Notion, we created a database named “Intents,” where each page detailed a specific goal, outlining its scope, significance, and expected outcomes. This ensured that everyone was clear on what needed to be achieved.
Results
The ‘Results’ are the measurable outcomes associated with each Intent. These are akin to Key Results in OKR (Objectives and Key Results) frameworks, providing specific targets that indicate whether the Intent has been successfully met.
In Notion, this was another database linked directly to the Intents database, allowing teams to input data and track progress against defined metrics, ensuring all efforts are measurable and reviewable.
Slice
The last component was another database for analysis and reporting. It segments and reviews data across various dimensions — like time periods, departments, or specific project teams — to provide a detailed view of progress.
In Notion, this is achieved by using database filters to organize data into groups that show specific results. For example, they can set up a view that allows the team to see only the goals and achievements for a particular department or time period, which helps everyone make smarter decisions and plan better strategies.
Quick takeaways
Implementing a unified goal-tracking system simplifies the tracking process and facilitates better coordination and focus across an organization. As the organization grows, this system can be easily scaled and adapted to accommodate new departments, teams, and goals.
Want to set up a similar structured goal system in Notion? Let’s discuss how we can help.
