When it's ok NOT to be transparent with OKRs

An important best practice within the OKR framework is transparency.

When everyone can see the organization’s goals and how their work contributes to them, it creates a shared sense of purpose and drives accountability. After all, a company can’t achieve its ambitions if its strategy and goals are hidden from the very people responsible for executing it.

Transparency also helps teams align resources, spot opportunities to collaborate, and stay focused on what matters most. That’s why, by default, most OKRs should be visible across the organization.

But like most rules, there are exceptions.

Under specific circumstances, it may be better to keep certain goals private.

Let’s take a look at those circumstances:

Mergers & Acquisitions

Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A) involve one company buying, or combining with, another to grow faster, compete more effectively, or optimize operations. These deals are often sensitive and complex, involving confidential negotiations around pricing, terms, and legal structures.

Prematurely revealing M&A goals can give the other party unwanted leverage, invite interference from competitors, and/or cause concern among customers, partners, or employees. In these cases, discretion protects not only the success of the deal, but the long-term interests of the company and its stakeholders.

Restructuring

Restructuring is when a company reorganizes itself — e.g. its team structure, the strategy, or its operations — to become more efficient or better aligned with future goals. It can be a proactive step forward, but it’s often a necessary move during a challenging period.

Restructuring often brings uncertainty. If word spreads before the company is ready to communicate this change clearly, it can spark anxiety about job security, lower morale and productivity, and/or lead to internal rumors and talent attrition.

Keeping restructuring plans confidential gives leaders the opportunity to ensure the smoothest transition that protects business continuity.

Personal development 

Personal development goals help employees grow their skills, expand their knowledge, and progress in their careers. They’re often discussed with their managers in 1:1s or during performance reviews and tend to focus on areas for improvement or long-term aspirations.

Because these goals are personal — and often highlight vulnerabilities or ambitions — it’s not appropriate for them to be public. Keeping them private allows employees to feel safe, supported, and ambitious without fear of judgment or pressure.

Publicly traded companies

Publicly traded companies must comply with strict regulations around confidential or “material non-public” information. Leaking details — such as financial forecasts, earnings, or upcoming changes — can lead to insider trading violations, legal penalties, and damage to both reputation and market value.

In these high-stakes environments, it’s essential to limit visibility of certain OKRs and KPIs to only those who need access.

How Perdoo supports privacy

At Perdoo, we understand that transparency is powerful, but not always appropriate. 

That’s why our Supreme plan includes a feature that lets you make specific OKRs and KPIs private so that they’re only visible to selected individuals. 

You can also restrict visibility for standard users, so that they only see their own team's (and sub-teams’) goals.

You can even enable private mode which hides the private goals that you have access to — helpful when you’re sharing your screen during a presentation!

Conclusion

It’s important to be pragmatic when working with OKR. Transparency is the default, but it’s not absolute. Knowing when to keep goals private is a sign of thoughtful leadership, not secrecy. It’s all about balancing openness with discretion, so you protect your people, your strategy, and your future.