Rock Your Strategy

Tag: objective

  • 20 OGSM Objectives Examples (And How to Write One That Actually Works)

    20 OGSM Objectives Examples (And How to Write One That Actually Works)

    The most important part of the OGSM to get right is the Objective statement. And that’s more difficult than you’d think.

    The Objective in an OGSM is the single qualitative statement at the top of your strategy — the directional, aspirational sentence that describes where your organization is going, without a number attached.

    Good OGSM objectives examples sound like: “Become the most trusted fitness brand in the US” or “Lead the shift from product supplier to solutions partner.” They’re inspiring, durable, and number-free. If yours has a percentage or a deadline in it, you’ve written a Goal, not an Objective.

    In this article we explore what makes a good Objective statement for OGSM, what mistakes to avoid, and provide you with 20 examples for inspiration.

    What Makes an OGSM Objective (And What Doesn’t)

    The Objective is the hardest line to write in an OGSM. Not because the thinking is complex — but because most leaders have been trained to make everything measurable, and an Objective is deliberately not measurable. That friction is where mistakes happen.

    A strong OGSM Objective has three characteristics:

    • Qualitative. No numbers, percentages, or time-bound targets. Those belong in your Goals row.
    • Directional. It points your organisation toward a specific destination — not a distance.
    • Durable. The best Objectives remain meaningful for three to five years, even as the Goals beneath them are refreshed annually.

    Think of the Objective as the answer to: “What kind of company are we becoming?” It’s not about what you’ll achieve by a date. It’s about what you’re building toward.

    The Number One OGSM Objective Mistake

    I’ve reviewed hundreds of OGSMs, from start-ups to global businesses. The error I see most often: writing a Goal in the Objective row.

    Here’s what that looks like:

    “Grow our customer base by 30% and achieve £50m revenue by 2027.”

    That’s two Goals masquerading as an Objective. The moment you attach a number, a percentage, or a deadline, you’ve left Objective territory.

    Here’s how that same strategic intent looks written correctly:

    “Become the first-choice brand for small business owners in our region.”

    The direction is identical. The inspiration is higher. And it gives your leadership team room to set stretching Goals beneath it — which is exactly how OGSM is supposed to work.

    If you find yourself reaching for a spreadsheet while writing your Objective, stop. Go qualitative. Save the measurement for the Goals row where it belongs.

    20 OGSM Objectives Examples by Industry

    These examples span seven sectors. Use them as inspiration — adapt the language to your market, your team, and your ambition. What matters is that each is directional, qualitative, and motivating. Not a single number in sight.

    Retail

    Retail Objectives tend to focus on brand position, customer loyalty, or market leadership. The challenge is avoiding vague mission-statement language and keeping genuine strategic direction.

    1. Become the destination of choice for sustainable everyday essentials in the UK.
    2. Transform from a transactional retailer into a trusted lifestyle brand that customers return to weekly.
    3. Establish ourselves as the most convenient and personalised shopping experience on the high street.

    SaaS / Technology

    In SaaS, Objectives often reflect a shift in how the product is perceived — from tool to platform, from feature to workflow anchor.

    1. Be the platform that growing teams trust to run their operations from day one.
    2. Shift from a point solution to the central nervous system of our customers’ workflows.
    3. Become the most recommended project management tool in the professional services sector.

    Professional Services

    Consultancies and agencies anchor Objectives in reputation and trust — because that’s ultimately what drives their pipeline.

    1. Be recognised as the go-to partner for mid-market companies navigating transformation.
    2. Build a reputation as the most trusted advisory firm in our niche — where clients come for the hard conversations.
    3. Become the consultancy that ambitious founders call first.

    Manufacturing

    Manufacturing Objectives frequently signal a strategic shift — from commodity supplier to valued partner, or from local player to category leader.

    1. Lead our category through a shift from product supplier to full-service solutions partner.
    2. Build a manufacturing operation that competitors benchmark themselves against.
    3. Establish our brand as synonymous with precision and reliability in European industrial markets.

    Non-Profit / Social Enterprise

    Non-profit Objectives should be grounded in mission — but ambitious. Avoid the trap of writing something that sounds like your existing service description.

    1. Become the most trusted voice for marginalised young people in our city.
    2. Transform from a service provider into a movement that changes how our community thinks about mental health.
    3. Build the most accessible and impactful financial literacy programme in our region.

    Healthcare

    Healthcare Objectives often focus on patient experience, workforce quality, or the shift from reactive to proactive care models.

    1. Create a patient experience that people in our community actively recommend to each other.
    2. Lead the shift from reactive care to proactive health management in our practice network.
    3. Become the employer of choice for clinical talent in our county.

    Education

    Education Objectives focus on outcomes, access, and institutional reputation — the things that define an organisation’s identity over a generation.

    1. Build an institution where every student — regardless of background — believes they can succeed.
    2. Become the regional benchmark for innovative, employer-linked curriculum design.

    How to Stress-Test Your OGSM Objective

    Once you’ve written a draft, run it through these three questions before it gets locked into the framework:

    1. Is it qualitative?

    Remove every number and deadline. Does it still make sense? Does it still have direction? If yes, you’re in the right territory. If stripping the numbers leaves you with nothing, you’ve written a Goal, not an Objective.

    2. Does it have a three-to-five-year feel?

    Your Objective should be stable while your Goals evolve annually. If it would feel outdated in 12 months, it’s too tactical. If it could mean anything indefinitely, it’s too generic. Aim for the sweet spot: specific enough to have a point of view, broad enough to outlast your next planning cycle.

    3. Does it move your team?

    Read it aloud. Does it land? Would a new joiner immediately understand what kind of organisation this is trying to become? A great Objective creates a feeling, not just a direction. If you get blank stares, rewrite it.

    Most first drafts don’t pass all three. That’s normal — the Objective usually takes the longest to settle in any OGSM I’ve worked on.

    Objectives vs Goals: The One-Line Distinction

    An Objective tells you where you’re going. A Goal tells you whether you’ve arrived.

    “Become the most trusted brand in our market” is an Objective. “Achieve a Net Promoter Score of 72 by Q4 2027” is the Goal that proves it. They are two different instruments doing two different jobs, and conflating them is how strategies lose their structure.

    If your OGSM has numbers in the Objective row and aspirational language in the Goals row, you’ve flipped them. Swap them back and the whole framework will feel more coherent immediately.

    For a deeper look at how Goals and Measures work together — and the confusion that arises when they’re treated as the same thing — see OGSM Goals vs Measures: What’s the Difference?.

    Writing Your Own OGSM Objective

    Start with this prompt: “In three to five years, we want to be known as the company that ________.”

    Fill in the blank without using a number. Strip the jargon. Run it through the three stress-test questions above. Then check it against your complete OGSM guide to make sure your Goals, Strategies, and Measures build coherently beneath it.

    If you want to see complete OGSM examples across all four components in action, 30 OGSM Strategy Examples is a good next stop. And for the Measures row — the other notoriously tricky component — OGSM Measures Examples walks you through it in the same format.

    Rock on.

  • What Comes First: Objective, Goals Or Strategy?

    What Comes First: Objective, Goals Or Strategy?

    In business, objectives, goals and strategies are often used interchangeably when describing a company’s direction. Yet they are very different. Which one comes first – and does it really matter? 

    When developing a business strategy, first decide your objective, i.e. where you are going. Translate your objective into measurable goals that define success. Then develop your strategies which determine how you are going to achieve your objective and reach your goals. 

    Or said differently, if business strategy was a road trip, then your objective would be your destination and your strategies your means to reach it. Unless you are a happy-go-lucky vacationeer for whom the journey is the destination, you decide on your destination first and then determine how to get there. Let’s explore further why this order is important. 

    Begin with the end in mind

    One of the books that has been most influential in my career is The 7 Habits Of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey. One specific quote left a particular impression on me which I have since applied to almost every endeavor in my business life including strategy: begin with the end in mind. 

    “To begin with the end in mind means to start with a clear understanding of your destination. It means to know where you’re going so that you better understand where you are now and so that the steps you take are always in the right direction.”

    Stephen Covey

    It is this quote that convinced me that strategy must begin with the destination. What do I aim to achieve? What dream or vision do I have for my business? Where do I want to be in e.g. five years? Painting this vision in as concrete terms as possible makes it tangible – not only for myself but also for my team. And a concrete, tangible vision inspires action. Turning the description of my destination into an objective statement and clearly defined goals make them tangible. 

    What is a strategic objective?

    The objective is a qualitative statement about what a business aims to achieve over a specified timeframe. The chosen timeframe of a strategic plan is typically 3-5 years and for an annual operating plan 1 year.

    The goals are the quantifiable targets or intended results to be accomplished. These typically are financial figures or other measurable metrics. In strategy, goals are the quantification of the objective to judge its achievement over the chosen timeframe.

    It is best to describe the goals as SMART goals. SMART stands for specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound. Thereby each goal is clear and unambiguous.

    Once I have defined my destination, then I can decide how I will get there. As Stephen said, only then do I know that “the steps [I] take are always in the right direction.” And these steps are my strategies.

    Should small businesses do strategic planning?

    What is the difference between goals and strategies?

    Strategies are the plan of action to achieve a long-term vision or objective. Strategies describe the choices a business makes about resource allocation to accomplish its objective and goals.

    When designing my strategic plans, I aim to choose 3-5 strategies to give the business sufficient focus without putting all my eggs in one basket. Once I have made those choices, I develop an implementation plan that turns the strategies into action. This ensures that I move my business towards the destination.

    So what is the difference between goals and strategies? The goals are part of the description of the destination while the strategies describe the way to reach it. 

    What are objective and goal examples? 

    When writing my objective statement, I use the ‘what-by-how’ method described by van Eck and Leenhouts in their excellent book “The 1 Page Business Strategy”. The ‘what-by-how’ method divides the objective statement into a ‘what’-part which describes what I aim to achieve and a ‘how’-part which already gives a sneak-preview on how I am going to achieve it. In the objective statement, I already build-in a lead to my strategy! This makes the objective statement clear and actionable. Consider the following simple examples:

    • “Go to Berlin by bus”
    • “Learn to master the guitar by practicing every day” 
    • “Drive rapid business growth by launching a new product line”

    Goals then are the quantification of these objective statements. Goals are facts and figures that turn objectives into measurable results. I define 1-2 goals each for the ‘what’-part and the ‘how’-part of the objective. Referring to previous examples: 

    • Reach Berlin-Mitte by 4pm. Pay less than $20 for the ticket. Less than 2 hours journey time.
    • Master “Sultans of Swing” by Dire Straits within 2 years. Practice 1 hour daily.
    • Grow 15% CAGR over 3 years. $5MM annual sales from new product line by year 2. 

    By setting concrete goals for both the ‘what’-part and the ‘how’-part of the objective statement, the objective becomes clear and measurable and you can track that you stay on course.

    Read more about how to create clear goals for your business strategy here.

    So does it matter whether objective or strategies come first? 

    In my experience it does matter whether objective or strategies come first. Strategies describe how I aim to achieve an objective. I would therefore define my objective first and then only after I am clear about my objective and my goals would I define my strategies. 

    Having said that, the objective is not the very first item I discuss in my strategic planning process. Before looking into the future and developing my objective, I analyze where I am today. I want to be clear about my business’ current situation. What is the purpose of my business? What kind of business am I running? What mission am I on? What success have I had so far? Only when I know where I am today, can I look to the future.  

    Let’s come back to Stephen Covey. He said, beginning with the end in mind “means to know where you’re going so that you better understand where you are now […] so that the steps you take are always in the right direction.” So knowing where you are starting from is just as important as knowing where you are headed. 

    So know where you are today, define where you are headed and then choose how you will get there. 

    A great way to define your strategic plan starting with a clear objective statement is the OGSM methodology. Read on about the OGSM approach to strategy here.  

    Conclusion

    When developing a strategy, always start with the end in mind. Once you define your destination, you know that the steps you take are always in the right direction. 

    Therefore, first define your objective statement and your goals. Then develop your strategies that help you reach your destination and avoid the 7 deadly sins of business strategy.  

    If this article was helpful or if you have any questions or comments, feel free to leave us a reply below. We would love to hear from you.

  • How To Write A Great Objective For A Strategic Plan?

    How To Write A Great Objective For A Strategic Plan?

    A great strategic plan must give clear direction to the business about where it is going and how it will get there. And this starts with a great objective statement.

    The objective is a written, qualitative statement describing the direction of the business by answering the question “where are we going?”. The best objective statements are clear and concise, inspiring and ambitious, yet achievable over the chosen timeframe.

    Packing so much information into just one sentence is difficult. However, writing a great objective statement is critical because everything else in the strategic plan will follow its lead. Particularly when working with the OGSM methodology, it’s important to have a strong objective statement. Here is how you can craft an excellent objective for your strategic plan.

    Follow These 5 Steps To Write An Objective Statement For Your Strategic Plan

    While the objective is a key element of the strategic plan, it is not the first thing you do in strategic planning. Prior to writing the objective statement, first conduct an analysis of the purpose of the business and the situation it is in. The situational analysis should look into the internal and external environment of the business to identify strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. This provides the strategic context for the strategic plan.

    Next, determine the timeframe for the strategic plan. This is important as the objective should describe the future state at the end of this time period. A common time frame for a strategic plan is 3-5 years, but this may vary with company purpose, the realities of the business and its industry. When writing an annual plan, the timeframe is 1 year.

    Armed with the business’ current situation, set out to brainstorm the results you aim to achieve over the specified timeframe. Consider the following questions to guide your thought process: 

    • What are you aiming to achieve over the time period? What does success look like? 
    • What are customers, employees, or other stakeholders going to say about your business?
    • What challenges do you have to overcome? 
    • What processes or competences are critical to your success?  

    Consolidate your thoughts to draft a one-sentence objective statement using the what-by-how method. The what-by-how method described by Marc van Eck & Ellen Leenhouts in their excellent book “The One-Page Business Strategy” structures the sentence into two parts: a ‘what’-part and a ‘how’-part. This ensures that your statement is specific and actionable. Proceed as follows. 

    1. Write the ‘what’-part of the statement optimally in a Verb-Adjective-Noun sentence structure, including at least Verb-Noun. 
      • For example, “drive aggressive growth…” or “improve profitability…” or “become our customers’ first choice…”. 
    2. Write the ‘how’-part as a description of what you will do to achieve the ‘what’-part of the statement. Start the ‘how’-part with “by”.
      • For example, “…by launching new products in the consumer category” or “…by consolidating our tool brands into a leading home improvement business” or “…by putting our customer at the center of everything we do”.   

    See the “what-by-how” method explained in this short YouTube video.

    Finally, review the objective statement and make sure it does not leave anything unwanted or unsatisfied. Ask yourself the following questions. 

    • Is the statement clear and concise? 
      • Is it specific and understandable?
      • Does every word in the statement have a purpose? Delete any ambiguity or redundancy. 
    • Is the statement ambitious and inspiring? 
      • Does the objective stretch the organization? 
      • Does it rally the team and inspire action?
    • Is the statement achievable in the time frame? 
      • Does the objective sound realistic?
    • Is the statement rooted in the realities of the business? 
      • Is the objective congruent with vision and mission of the business? 
      • Does it fit with the business’ internal and external situation? 

    If you have followed these steps, then your objective should be quite specific and spell out in no unmistakable terms what you are aiming to achieve over the chosen time horizon and how you are going to get there. 

    Examples of Objective Statements

    Now that we have discussed how to write the objective, let’s look at some really good examples. 

    Consider a company producing shoe cream that wishes to diversify its offering. The objective of its strategic plan might read:

    “Become the recognized category leader in up-market shoe cream by expanding our existing portfolio of shoe treatment products and developing new, exclusive channels to market.” 

    Or alternatively consider a very innovative mobile phone brand with high growth ambitions. 

    “Double our market share in solar-powered mobile phones by developing more efficient miniature-sized solar panels and expanding our retail footprint in Utopia.”

    Note that each of these examples has a clear articulation of the “what”-part of the objective statement and two clear aspects of the “how”-part. The statements are clear and concise. You can argue that they are ambitious and inspiring (becoming the recognized category leader, doubling the market share). And if you are a company in these respective spaces already, it seems realistic to achieve those objectives. 

    On the flip side, here are some examples of objective statements which might not be effective for strategic planning. 

    • “Deliver growth” 
    • “Make the numbers”
    • “Implement the project”

    Note that all of these statements follow the Verb-Noun sequence and are actionable. However, the statements are not specific, I don’t find them particularly inspiring, and they also do not articulate how we will achieve the objective. How about the following instead? 

    • “Be great by delivering awesome service”
    • “Run the company by empowering the employees”

    Both of these statements follow the “what-by-how” approach. In the first statement, however, it is not clear what “being great” means and “awesome service” is very ambiguous. The second statement does not read like a strategic direction for the future but more of an operational guidance for today. 

    Some of these statements are quite simplistic. I purposefully chose them though to clearly illustrate what a good objective statement looks like. And don’t laugh, but I have actually seen a couple of those latter ones in practice! 

    Important Considerations

    When creating the objective statement for your strategic plan, it is paramount that all stakeholders understand and agree with the objective and the strategic context within which it is nestled. 

    The strategic plan is built to support achieving the objective of the business. If there is doubt in the organization whether the right objective is chosen or if parts of the objective are unclear, then the entire strategic plan might be in doubt. It’s worth investing in making sure that all key stakeholders are in agreement. 

    In addition, note that the objective is not the company vision or mission statement or an open-ended dream. The objective spells out a concrete, attainable result within a specified time frame, e.g. 3-5 years, while the vision may be a longer term aspiration. The objective may however very well be a priority or major milestone in the pursuit of your longer term vision. In fact, for annual business plans, I personally like to think of the objective as being a focus area for the year as I aim to realize my vision.

    Common Mistakes With Strategic Objectives 

    When writing your objective statement, look out for the following common pitfalls. 

    • Objective is unclear 
      • It sometimes runs in human nature that when we think of strategy that we use big words and formulate very ambitious plans. Check for clarity though. Being ambitious and pushing the boundaries of what is possible is great when everyone in the business understands what is expected of them. Large, ambiguous terms may need to be defined or specified if necessary. 
    • Objective includes the ‘what’ but not the ‘how’-part or vice versa
      • The objective statement is most clear and actionable when both aspects of the ‘what-by-how’ approach are considered. Check whether you spot the word “by” in your statement as an indicator whether anything is missing.
    • Objective does not fit with the scope or priorities of the business
      • This might sound obvious but I have experienced this in practice. Choose an objective that does not run counter to the purpose of your business or conflicts with its values, vision or mission. In fact, ensure that the objective is well aligned and contributes to their realization.
    • Objective is not ambitious enough and therefore does not inspire action
      • If the objective of a 3-5 year strategic plan is achievable within 6-12 months, it is not ambitious enough and will not inspire the organization to take action. Challenge yourself to large objectives that require step change instead of incremental modifications. 
    • Objective is a laundry list of projects or initiatives
      • The objective statement should not be a to-do list of current projects. Double check to make sure the objective is not too operational but aims into the 3-5 year future.
    • Objective is too long
      • If you realize that the objective statement is wrapping too many lines and begins to enumerate too many ‘hows’, consider reviewing whether you are setting the right priorities. The longer the statement, the larger the risk that clarity, congruence and realism are lost.

    When following the 5 steps of writing an excellent objective statement above, you should have no trouble at all with avoiding falling into any of these common traps.  

    Where to go from here?

    A strong objective statement is key to the success of your strategy as it defines the direction for your business.

    The objective is the O in OGSM and sets the tone for everything else that follows in the OGSM methodology. Once you have defined your objective, continue here to learn about how to set effective goals for your OGSM.

    If you would like to learn more about the OGSM, continue here. 

    Do you have any questions or feedback? We’d be happy to hear from you via the comment box below.

    References

    Van Eck, Marc & Leenhouts, Ellen (2014.) The 1 Page Business Strategy – Streamline Your Business Plan In 4 Steps. Pearson Benelux.

    Once you’ve nailed your objective statement, the next step is building out your full OGSM. Give yourself the right structure to work from: download a pre-formatted, fully customizable OGSM Template for PowerPoint or OGSM Template for Excel from the Rock Your Strategy shop.