Though we are all familiar with the concept of goal setting, many of us falter in using them to create impact in our lives. As a result, goals merely remain a bunch of fancy words. So let’s look at some broad guidelines to help set real, achievable goals:
Articulate the goal with a powerful, inspiring statement – Human beings are emotional beings. Weak, wishy-washy expressions or cold emotionless statements prevent goals from becoming the living impassioned beings that human beings can relate to. Powerfully articulated goals will not only keep your own energy high, but also build and strengthen team spirit.
- Carve out a clear, well-outlined picture – The game of Chinese whispers is a good example of how information or data can undergo a sea of change as it filters through different streams of interpretation. Hence, it’s best to be specific about your goals. Define and write down, each aspect of the goal including timelines, dates, and roles of each member, including the process flow chart. This will provide integrity and grounding to your goal.
- Set priority for each goal – Every organization or team will have a multiple set of goals at a time. And this can lead to confusion, when there is lack of clarity about the purpose and relevance of each goal in the overall vision picture. Prioritizing each goal will help you to integrate your team energy and enhance efficiency.
- Set a mix of inspiring and operational goals – “Hitch your wagon to a star’. But if you hitch all your wagons to stars, then their possible non-achievement or less than excellent achievement will diffuse your spirit. While individuals need inspiring goals to become larger then they perceive themselves to be, setting a small category of achievable operational goals goes a long way in building confidence and optimism. If all your goals are too large, then it can seem that you are not making progress towards them. Small and incremental goals will also give you opportunities to reward good effort and keep the enthusiasm high.
- Measure goals by performance – Sometimes your team might exhibit exemplary performance, but the goal might still not be achieved due to a sudden policy change or change in the economic scenario. Failing to acknowledge such factors can not only affect team enthusiasm but also reduce the trust they place in your integrity and vision. So make room to evaluate such factors before judging your goal achievement.
- Set ownership – Whenever there is more than one person involved in a particular goal, it is important to actively involve all the concerned parties to assign ownership and accountability.