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Art of Setting Goals

Overview

Goals are part of every little aspect of our businesses and our lives; and give us a sense of direction, inspiration, a clear target, and clarify the importance of our tasks. By learning the Art of Setting Goals for ourselves and for our teams, we create a clear objective in our heads. This helps us to guide the goal settings.

Goals should always be:

S - Specific
M - Measurable
A - Attainable
R - Relevant
T - Time-Bound

Therefore, SMART Goals need to be incorporated all of these criteria to help focus your and your team’s efforts, while exponentially increasing the chances of achieving these goals.

In the absence of clearly defined goals, we become strangely loyal to performing daily acts of trivia.

The 5Ws & 1H of Setting Goals: Problem-Solving Analogy

Why - Explain the needs and purposes that are the basis of your team’s goals.
What - Develop the possibilities and restrict the alternatives to the ones you plan to follow.
When - Identify when planning sessions, execution, and the final presentation will happen.
Where - Finalize the location.
Who - Delegate responsibilities according to skills amongst all members.
How - Finalize when would the implementation of the plan happen.

Specific

A specific goal has a much greater possibility of being accomplished than a general goal.

(This is where the Problem-Solving Analogy can be applied: 5Ws & 1H)

Goals should be clear. Ambiguity has no place in goal setting.

Example: A general goal would be, "Finish 10 bookings" But a specific goal would be, "Finish ten bookings in 3 hours."

Measurable

An unmeasurable goal is no goal at all. Establish clearly defined criteria for measuring progress toward the attainment of each goal you set. When you measure your development, your current standing, target dates, and experience the thrill of accomplishment that drives you on to the path of continued progress essential for you to reach your goal.

Questions like How much? How many? How would I know if I have accomplished it?

Attainable

Attainable goals have to be realistic and achievable and based on actions. It's easier to measure things being done. What are the action steps you’ll take in the process of achieving your goal?

When you identify the goals that are critical, you begin to figure out ways you can make them come true.

Goals that seemed impossible eventually become possible and attainable, not because your goals shrink, but because you grow and expand to match your goals.

Relevant

Goals are the most important tool in the grand scheme of reaching the desired objectives for the organization. To make the goal relevant, it is a must to present an objective towards which you and your team are both willing to work.

A relevant goal is always realistic. Your goal is realistic when you believe that it can be achieved. You can also find out if your goal is realistic or not, by determining if you have achieved something similar previously or ask yourself what conditions would have to exist to accomplish this goal.

A goal can be high and realistic at the same time; however, only you can decide just how high your goal should be. The hardest jobs that are accomplished were accomplished, as they were the labor of love.

Your goal is realistic only when you truly believe that it can be accomplished.

Time-Bound

Goals must have clear and categorically defined starting and endpoints. Committing to deadlines helps create pressure that helps in creating motivation that is necessary for success.

Goals without defines timelines can be easily overtaken by the day to day crises that invariably arise within an organization. A goal should be accomplished within a stipulated timeframe. With no defined timelines, there's no sense of urgency. If you want to run 10 kilometers, within how much time would you want to do it in? "Not sure" won't work. But if you create a timeframe, "within an hour", then you've set your mind into action to begin focusing on the goal.

Time-bound goals can also need to be Tangible, so that you can experience it with one of the senses, like sight or hearing.

Tips for practicing the Art of Setting Goals

Goals and objectives are the paths to success.
You need a roadmap to know where you're going and whether you have achieved it or arrived at your desired point.
List the activities and the priorities needed to achieve your goals and then create the timeline.
Planning is critical and must be done every single day.
Goals change with time, so don’t let change be a stress in your life.
Don't PROCRASTINATE!

Celebration of Success

Balance is a universal law and it is paramount in the long run. To maintain balance within an organization, celebrating success in orderly fashion is critical. The celebration of success should happen at timely intervals and should be based on merit. This ensures that the people remain happy and motivated, without losing their zeal.

Success also brings in its share of learning; and the teams find out the gaps that still remain. Another objective that becomes clear is that what needs to be done in order to convert these ‘Breakdowns’ into ‘Breakthroughs’; and how to be on the continuous path of learning and evolving.

The balance between celebration and improvement needs to always be maintained for the growth and the success of the organization as well as the individual.

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