I removed stretch goals from PI planning

I removed stretch goals from PI planning. The result: we went from 15-30 missed or descoped commitments per PI down to one. Not because the teams got better overnight. Because they finally had room to actually commit to what they said they'd do.

Miss the stretch, shrug it off, and the real work slides too. Stretch goals create a built-in escape hatch that makes every commitment softer than it looks on the planning board.

What changed when we removed them

Teams were honest about capacity. Commitments meant something again. Velocity got predictable enough to actually plan against.

The goal is to make your commitments real. Start there. Build from there. When planning stops padding every forecast with aspirational work nobody expects to finish, the organization can see what is actually at risk, and fix it before mid-cycle.

Honest dependencies beat optimistic portfolios

Fewer unplanned objectives is the lagging indicator. The leading one is whether teams can commit without hiding uncertainty inside a stretch goal. If capacity, dependencies, and readiness are not visible before the commitment hardens, the surprise is already scheduled.

Make your commitments real first. Everything else in the operating model gets easier after that.

Originally published on LinkedIn ↗. Adapted for this site.