The OKR method was popularised by John Doerr, former Intel engineer and Google investor, in his book Measure What Matters (available on Amazon). It rests on a simple principle: define 1 ambitious objective + 3 measurable key results per quarter.
Why it works in construction
Most tradespeople "work in the business" rather than "work on the business". The result: they chase jobs, react to the market and never move toward their real goals (hiring, doubling revenue, taking holidays). OKRs create a weekly management discipline.
Concrete example — Plumber & heating engineer
Q3 2026 Objective: "Become the go-to bathroom renovation specialist in my area"
KR1: Obtain 20 new 5-star Google reviews (currently: 8) → measured weekly.
KR2: Sign 6 bathroom jobs ≥ €8,000 (currently: 2/quarter).
KR3: Publish 12 LinkedIn before/after posts (1/week).
Every Monday: 20-minute review. Every Friday: 10-minute planning. Simple, disciplined, effective.
The 3 classic mistakes
1. Setting too many objectives (keep 1 to 3 per quarter maximum). 2. Choosing unmeasurable KRs ("improve client relationships" → no. "Send a follow-up email to 100% of clients within 48h of job completion" → yes). 3. Not revising mid-quarter — OKRs are living documents, adjust if the market shifts.
Free tools to get started
Trello (free Kanban board), Notion (free OKR templates), or simply a Google Sheet. Bpifrance also offers free business management resources: bpifrance-creation.fr.