Re-reading John Doerr’s ‘Measure What Matters’ in 2026

John Doerr's highly engaging and pithy commentary on OKRs deserves a sequel on key counts.

For one, ever since the pandemic subsided, the world has mutated in alien ways, and the war cry anthems of corporate bigwigs and startups have undergone a sea change, ditto for the definitions and benchmarks of organizational agility and ability in a crowded marketplace. It would be interesting to know about John's take on the AI-led emerging world order (or the lack of it)

Secondly, the sequel to Doerr's OKR primer can examine the successes and failures of a few entities across the globe who intuitively practice OKRs, without calling them so. This tribe doesn't necessarily get the glossy media reviews OKR-branded workplaces get on a platter.

The new book could also replace the football analogy with a handy chapter on failed and flawed implementations, with or without OKRs, including those from the Google universe (Glass, Health, and the Gmail blunders among others)

We would also love to read wholesome stories like Brett Kopf's Remind and Jini Kim's Nuna Health, rooted in the endearing and enduring charm of founder trials and triumphs, unlike the usual chronicles spun around 'gates', 'windows', and preachy music bands.

High time Doerr delved into the most critical ethical dimension of OKRs at the high and mighty companies run by celebrity founders who often lose their poise, if not purpose, in the high-decibel noise of their volcanic rise.

The sequel will also serve his second book well, 'Speed & Scale: An Action Plan for Solving Our Climate Crisis Now' which was OKRs applied to Environmental priorities.

And last but not the the least, the sequel could include comprehensive odes to Andy Grove and Bill Campbell, with more detailed bits and bytes on John's personal interactions with both of them, and their fond memories.

PS: the team that manages john@whatmatters.com needs to apply OKRs for better identifying and studying constructive feedback from non-entity readers who are neither looking for an OKR coach, nor seeking a bulk order of 'Measure What Matters', but they are nevertheless armed with positive intent, and genuine admiration for John: his purposeful learning stints at Rice University and Harvard University, Intel feats, Kleiner Perkins achievements, and the $1.1 billion gift to Stanford University to incept the Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability.