A stretch goal is a target set deliberately higher than what is normally expected, designed to push performance and thinking beyond the default, more comfortable level a standard goal would aim for.
What it means
Stretch goals work best when missing one is not treated the same as missing a normal target - if a stretch goal carries the same consequence as an ordinary commitment, people stop setting them ambitiously and the whole point is lost.
Where it fits in
The OKR framework explicitly embraces stretch goals - an objective is meant to be ambitious, and key results are not always expected to be fully met, which distinguishes OKRs from a quota or a standard performance target where the expectation is full achievement.
Key rules
- A deliberately ambitious target set beyond normal expectations.
- Should not carry the same consequence as missing a normal commitment.
- Explicitly embraced within the OKR framework.
- Distinct from a quota, where full achievement is the expectation.
