Initiative

An Initiative is a concrete project, action, or body of work undertaken to move a Key Result forward. While Key Results define what success looks like (the measurable outcome), Initiatives define how you'll get there (the work you'll actually do). They bridge the gap between measurement and execution.

For example, if your Key Result is "Increase customer satisfaction score from 7.5 to 8.5," your Initiatives might include "Build in-app feedback feature," "Launch customer education program," and "Implement AI-powered support chatbot." Each Initiative is an actionable project that contributes to the Key Result, but the Key Result itself measures the outcome, not the completion of initiatives.

The distinction between Initiatives and Key Results is critical: completing all your Initiatives doesn't guarantee achieving your Key Results. You might launch all three initiatives but still not reach 8.5 if competitors launch better features or customers have changing expectations. This is why OKRs measure outcomes, not outputs. Track your Initiatives in your task management system, but evaluate success based on Key Results.