Are you confident? Did you know you can turn “confidence” into a measurable OKR or project management metric and run reports on it? In this article, I’ll show you how.
The Confidence Question
Management often asks, “Are you confident in delivering your objectives?” This point-blank question demands a simple “YES” or “NO” answer.
But here’s the problem:
- If you say “Yes”, you put yourself in a corner.
- If you say “No”, you appear weak.
What do you do? A bead of sweat rolls down your forehead…
The Power of Confidence Levels
Instead of answering yes or no, give a number.
Most people forget that confidence isn’t just a binary concept—it comes with levels. The right response is: “My confidence level is at 6 out of 10.”
Think about it—when you visit a doctor, they ask: “On a scale from 0 to 10, how painful is it?” A counselor may ask: “How happy are you from 0 to 10?” This method provides range and context, making it easier to analyze and discuss.
Similarly, when discussing project management or OKRs, turn a YES/NO question into a 0 to 10 scale answer:
- “I am 5 out of 10 confident we will deliver on time.”
- “Our marketing strategy has a confidence level of 7.6, but technology is at 5.9.”
Applying Confidence Levels in Microsoft Project
Microsoft Project takes this a step further by aggregating confidence levels across tasks to produce an overall project confidence score.
Here’s how it works:
- Assign a confidence level to each task.
- Use Microsoft Project’s default averaging function to roll up task-level confidence scores into an overall project confidence level.
- Group tasks by category—Marketing, HR, Technology, Quality, etc.—to pinpoint strengths and weaknesses.
- Turn on the Project Summary Task function to see a consolidated confidence level for the entire project.
For example, a project summary might reveal:
- Marketing Confidence: 7.6
- Technology Confidence: 5.9
- Overall Project Confidence: 6.33
Transforming the Conversation
When management sees an overall 6.33 confidence score, they might interpret it as 63% confidence and ask, “Why isn’t it higher?”
This opens the door for a productive conversation:
- “Technology is facing a few issues.”
- “Marketing is underfunded.”
- “Despite challenges, we are progressing, which is why we’re at 63%.”
Instead of feeling pressured, you now have an evidence-based way to discuss project risks and needs.
Turning Pressure into Support
Even better, management will likely ask, “How can I help you achieve an 80% confidence level?”
By using confidence levels, you shift the focus from defending your work to securing the support you need. You’ve turned a threatening question into an opportunity for collaboration.
Applying Confidence Levels to OKRs
This concept isn’t just for project management—it works for OKRs (Objectives and Key Results) too!
By measuring confidence levels in OKRs, teams can:
- Identify objectives at risk.
- Encourage collaboration and transparency.
- Provide managers with actionable insights.
- Request assistance before problems escalate.
How Target Align Helps Startups with Agile OKRs
Target Align is a powerful platform designed to simplify OKR implementation and Agile execution for startups. With an intuitive interface and advanced tracking capabilities, Target Align helps startups:
- Set clear, measurable OKRs aligned with business strategy.
- Integrate OKRs with Agile workflows, ensuring teams stay focused.
- Enhance transparency with real-time tracking and reports.
- Encourage accountability through structured check-ins and peer feedback.
- Foster alignment between leadership and teams by breaking down top-level objectives into actionable key results.
By using Target Align, startups can eliminate confusion, streamline goal-setting, and drive sustainable growth.
If you’re interested in learning more about OKRs and its implementation, sign up for Target Align’s video course. For more resources, visit www.targetalign.com and check out their OKR 101 material.
