How to Run OKR Check-ins: Weekly Reviews That Actually Work

Last verified: February 2026

Overview

The single biggest predictor of OKR success isn't how well you write them — it's whether you review them consistently. Weekly OKR check-ins keep teams accountable, surface blockers early, and ensure OKRs remain living documents rather than quarterly paperwork.

Why Check-ins Matter

Research from Betterworks shows that teams doing weekly check-ins are 2.7x more likely to achieve their OKRs. Without regular reviews:

• OKRs become "set and forget" documents
• Teams lose track of progress mid-quarter
• Blockers go unaddressed for weeks
• End-of-quarter scoring becomes a guessing game

The Check-in Format

Each check-in should take 15-30 minutes and cover:

1. Progress Update (5 minutes)

For each Key Result, update the current value:

2. Confidence Rating (2 minutes)

Rate each OKR's likelihood of completion:

• On track — progressing as expected
• At risk — possible but needs attention
• Off track — unlikely without intervention

3. Blockers and Needs (5-10 minutes)

Surface anything slowing progress:

• What's blocking you?
• What decision do you need?
• What help do you need from another team?

4. Plans for Next Week (5 minutes)

What are the 2-3 most important actions for each OKR this coming week?

Check-in Best Practices

Do:

• Hold check-ins at the same time each week (Monday or Friday)
• Update metrics before the meeting, not during
• Focus on outcomes, not activities
• Celebrate progress, even if incremental
• Escalate blockers immediately

Don't:

• Turn check-ins into status meetings — focus on OKRs only
• Skip check-ins because "nothing changed" — that's a signal
• Use check-ins for blame or punishment
• Let check-ins exceed 30 minutes

Async vs. Synchronous Check-ins

Not every check-in needs to be a meeting:

Async works well for:

• Remote and distributed teams
• Individual OKR updates
• Weeks where progress is straightforward

Synchronous works well for:

• Team-level OKRs with cross-dependencies
• When blockers need real-time discussion
• Mid-quarter OKR adjustments

A hybrid approach — async updates with a monthly sync meeting — works for many teams.

The Quarterly Review

At quarter-end, hold a more thorough review:

1. Score each Key Result on a 0.0-1.0 scale
2. Discuss what drove success or failure for each OKR
3. Extract lessons for next quarter's goal-setting
4. Celebrate wins — even partial achievement of stretch goals

How Krezzo Helps

Krezzo automates the check-in workflow with built-in progress tracking, confidence ratings, and blocker flagging. Teams get weekly reminders, managers get roll-up dashboards, and end-of-quarter scoring is pre-populated based on tracked progress.

Sources

• Doerr, John. Measure What Matters. Penguin, 2018.
• Betterworks. "The Impact of Check-in Frequency on Goal Attainment." 2023.
• krezzo.com