Noun. blue-sky thinking (uncountable) (idiomatic)
Thinking that is not grounded or in touch with
the realities of the present; open-minded thinking.

OKR Consultant vs Doing OKRs Internally: Which Actually Works?

Most organisations start their OKR journey internally.

They read the books, attend a workshop, assign ownership, and commit to “giving it a proper go.” In many cases, this is the right approach – at least initially.

The question isn’t whether OKRs can be run internally.
It’s when internal ownership stops being effective – and what to do next.

Why Doing OKRs Internally Makes Sense (At First)

Running OKRs internally can work well when:

  • Leadership is tightly aligned

  • The organisation is relatively small

  • Priorities are stable

  • There is senior sponsorship and discipline

  • OKRs are treated as a management tool, not a reporting exercise

In these conditions, OKRs can embed quickly and deliver real value without external support.

The problem is that many organisations outgrow these conditions faster than they realise.

Where Internal OKR Ownership Commonly Breaks Down

As organisations scale or priorities shift, internal OKR ownership often starts to strain.

Common failure points include:

  • The OKR “owner” lacks authority to challenge leadership decisions

  • Alignment issues are assumed rather than tested

  • Objectives become compromises instead of priorities

  • Key results drift toward activity tracking

  • OKR reviews turn into status updates

  • Difficult conversations are quietly avoided

At this stage, teams may still be “doing OKRs” – but the leverage is gone.

The Hidden Limitations of Internal Ownership

Internal teams face constraints that are rarely acknowledged:

1. Lack of Neutral Challenge

Internal owners often struggle to push back on senior leaders, even when priorities are unclear or unrealistic.

2. Organisational Blind Spots

It’s difficult to see systemic issues when you’re embedded in them. Patterns repeat unnoticed.

3. Competing Incentives

OKRs can conflict with existing KPIs, bonuses, or performance reviews – creating quiet resistance.

4. Emotional Weight

OKRs surface uncomfortable truths about focus, accountability, and trade-offs. Internal teams often absorb that tension personally.

None of this is a failure of capability – it’s a structural reality.

What an OKR Consultant Changes

An experienced OKR consultant brings three things internal teams usually can’t:

Objectivity

They can challenge priorities, assumptions, and behaviours without political risk.

Pattern Recognition

They’ve seen where OKRs fail across different organisations – and know how to intervene early.

Discipline

They hold the line on focus, cadence, and accountability when internal momentum dips.

Crucially, a good OKR consultant doesn’t replace internal ownership – they strengthen it.

When External OKR Consulting Adds the Most Value

Hiring an OKR consultant is most effective when:

  • OKRs have stalled or failed before

  • Leadership alignment feels fragile

  • Growth has increased complexity

  • Execution isn’t matching strategy

  • Accountability conversations feel uncomfortable

  • Internal teams are stuck firefighting

In these situations, external support accelerates clarity and prevents repeated false starts.

The False Choice: Consultant or Internal Team

The most successful OKR implementations don’t treat this as an either/or decision.

Instead:

  • Consultants provide structure, challenge, and momentum early

  • Internal teams take ownership as capability builds

  • Leadership retains accountability throughout

This blended approach avoids dependency while still benefiting from external perspective.

Why “Trying Harder Internally” Often Backfires

When OKRs aren’t working, organisations often respond by:

  • Adding more OKRs

  • Increasing reporting

  • Tightening scoring systems

  • Running more workshops

These actions usually increase effort without improving outcomes.

At that point, the issue isn’t commitment – it’s design and leadership behaviour.

This is where targeted OKR consulting becomes a corrective, not a crutch.

Making the Right Call for Your Organisation

There’s no universal rule for when to bring in an OKR consultant.

But if OKRs feel heavy, performative, or disconnected from real decisions, it’s worth asking whether internal ownership has reached its limit.

External support doesn’t mean failure. In many cases, it’s the fastest way to restore focus, alignment, and execution.

To understand how this works in practice, you can explore our OKR consulting and coaching approach.