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For Dean Swan, Vice President and General Manager of monday.com in APJ, the management framework is proving just as powerful in classrooms, government agencies, and non-profits as it is in fast-moving tech companies.

“What excites me about OKRs as a framework is that many organisations now see the need for dynamic strategy, but more importantly, they see the need for their teams to be connected to that strategy and their day-to-day work,” Swan says. “It’s about harnessing the collective effort of the entire organisation in an aligned, focused way that drives meaningful outcomes.”

From the boardroom to the front line
Swan spends much of his time across Australia, Singapore, Japan, and India, meeting organisations of all sizes. What he’s observed is a common set of challenges: limited resources, faster delivery expectations, and a volatile operating environment.

“That’s why OKRs, as a management framework, are just as applicable to a public sector organisation or an education institution as they are to a tech company,” he says. “The thing we all share in common is having to do more with less, and needing to be adaptive and agile to respond to what’s happening in the environment.”

One standout example comes from a public sector agency that moved from siloed teams and unclear objectives to a shared sense of purpose.

“They had dozens of teams, from policy through operations, all working in isolation,” Swan points out. “After moving to an OKR framework, they had clarity of purpose, much stronger alignment across teams, and a cultural shift towards being truly outcomes-focused.”

Avoiding common OKR missteps
Rolling out OKRs, Swan stresses, is a journey. “You’re not going to get it right a hundred per cent the first time. You need to come in with the mindset of being a learner through the process.”

He says four pitfalls stand out:

• Too many objectives. “Part of the art is having fewer, more meaningful objectives.”
• Vague results. “Key results need to be measurable so you can be clear on whether you’ve achieved them.”
• No clear ownership. “You need people who can represent, own, and champion the results.”
• Lack of cadence. “Whether it’s a monthly check-in or another rhythm, there has to be regularity to keep OKRs alive.”
  
  

IT leader’s adoption challenge
For IT leaders rolling out work platforms to support OKRs, Swan warns of three main adoption barriers: tool and team fragmentation, lack of visibility, and change fatigue. All can derail uptake if not addressed early.

“OKRs aren’t just for startups and SaaS,” he says. “They’re a powerful, practical tool for any organisation looking to drive clarity, focus, and cultural alignment. When teams are aligned and accountable, meaningful outcomes follow.”

To learn more please visit https://monday.com/enterprise-agile