The Question That Started It All
A few months ago, a founder asked me a simple but powerful question during a discovery call:
“We’ve been using OKRs… but they just aren’t working. Are we doing something wrong?”
The short answer? Probably not.
The longer answer? You’re not alone. I see this all the time.
I see this all the time.
This business had ambitious goals – clearly defined OKRs (Objectives and Key Results), beautifully formatted in a Google Sheet. Every team member had one. It looked organised, strategic, and inspiring.
There was just one problem…
No one was really owning them. And nothing was actually getting done.
They were aiming high but spinning their wheels.
OKRs vs. Rocks: What’s the Real Difference?
Let’s start by understanding what OKRs are meant to do.
OKRs are designed to align teams around big, measurable goals. You set an Objective (what you want to achieve) & 3–5 Key Results (how you’ll measure success).
Sounds great in theory, right?
But here’s the catch.
When you’re running a growing business – especially one with 20+ people, it’s incredibly easy to drown in a sea of goals that look inspiring but don’t lead to traction.
Everyone’s chasing something, but no one’s moving the business forward.
That’s where Rocks – from the Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS), comes in.
EOS keeps things simple.
Each business or leadership team sets:
- Just 3–7 priorities per quarter
- Each with a single owner
- Each with a clear outcome
- All due within 90 days
That’s it. No fluff. No overcomplication. No spreadsheets that take longer to maintain than the work itself.
The OKR Swamp: A Real-Life Story
One of my clients last year learned this lesson the hard way.
They had OKRs across every department. The Visionary had five high-level goals. The Integrator had four operational ones. Marketing had three that sounded suspiciously like something lifted from a HubSpot article.
When I asked, “How are they going?”
I got blank stares.
It’s not that the team didn’t care. They did. They just didn’t have clarity or accountability. Everyone was busy updating OKR spreadsheets instead of actually executing.
After our EOS Focus Day, we scrapped the OKRs and set five company Rocks.
Each Rock had one owner.
Each Rock had a specific, measurable outcome.
Each Rock had a 90-day deadline.
Three months later?
They’d nailed four out of five.
That’s what I call Traction.
Why Rocks Work Better (For Most Entrepreneurs)
1. Rocks Create Laser Focus
OKRs often become wish lists – an endless buffet of ideas that look great on paper but spread your team too thin.
Rocks, on the other hand, force you to choose what really matters.
You only get 3–7 priorities for the quarter, so you have to be intentional.
Analogy time:
OKRs are like a buffet. Everything looks good, but you leave feeling bloated and unsatisfied.
Rocks are like a perfectly cooked meal – intentional, nourishing, and designed to fuel real progress.
2. Rocks Demand Ownership
One of the biggest killers of accountability is shared responsibility.
When “everyone” owns something, no one owns it.
Rocks fix that. Each one has a single owner. That doesn’t mean they do all the work – but they are 100% accountable for ensuring it gets done.
There’s no ambiguity, no finger-pointing, and no hiding. Everyone knows who’s driving what.
3. Rocks Build Habits of Execution
OKRs are often about setting goals. Rocks are about creating habits.
They turn long-term vision into short-term action – 90 days at a time.
Instead of setting lofty ambitions that may or may not happen, you focus on what you can actually deliver in the next quarter.
It’s not about more planning – it’s about more doing.
Why I Love Rocks (And Use Them Myself)
I’m a Visionary. I love big ideas. So, trust me when I say: I understand the appeal of OKRs.
But I also know how easy it is to end up overcommitted and under-delivering.
That’s why I use Rocks in my own three businesses.
Every quarter, I set 2–3 Rocks. Not vague goals like:
- “Grow revenue”
- “Be more visible”
But specific, measurable priorities like:
- Launch our Melbourne EOS Client Event
- Record & release 3 solo podcast episodes
- Delegate admin to assistant
Each one has a clear outcome, a deadline, & an owner (me!).
And here’s the kicker – I get them done. Because they matter.
It took me two years to learn that fewer goals = more results. (Yes, even for me. Slow learner sometimes!)
So, Should You Ditch OKRs?
Not necessarily.
OKRs can work well in large, mature organisations with strong layers of management & accountability. But for entrepreneurial businesses – especially those with 10–600 people – Rocks are almost always the better fit.
They simplify decision-making, create clarity, & help everyone pull in the same direction.
EOS gives you a framework that’s not just about goal-setting – it’s about execution.
And execution is what separates businesses that talk about growth from those that actually achieve it.
The Bottom Line
If your OKRs look great but nothing’s getting done, it’s not a motivation problem – it’s a structure problem.
Let’s get you out of the OKR swamp and into a system that creates traction, accountability, and results.
Because as I often remind my clients:
Vision without traction is hallucination.
Email me at debra@businessaction.com.au or book a free clarity call.
Written by Debra Chantry-Taylor, FBA Accredited Family Business Advisor, Certified EOS Implementer & Founder of Business Action.
Business Action is focused on helping Entrepreneurs lead better lives, through creating a better business. We have a small team of accredited family business advisors, EOS Implementers & Leadership coaches, as well as access to a huge range of advisors through our Trusted Partners Network.
