Saturday, October 28, 2006

Setting SMART Goals

Have you ever made a New Years Resolution and then given up after only a few weeks? Who hasn’t? This could be caused by several reasons, i.e., biting off more than you can chew, having a vague or unclear goal, or not setting clear deadlines.

However, good leaders that in order to attain their vision it is important to set and achieve the right goals. You can find a plethora of information about setting goals. Though, I think using the SMART method of goal setting is not only easy to use but also very effective in creating goals that will work.

Specific – Set clear goals and articulate what it is exactly, that you want to accomplish. “I want to improve my leadership skills,” isn’t a specific goal. However, “I want to increase my knowledge of leadership by reading one book on leadership every week,” is more specific.

Measurable – How will you know that you’ve achieved your unless it is measurable. Whether you want to lose 15 pounds or increase sales by 15%, you need to have that finish-line clear in your mind.

Agreed Upon – For a leader this is critical. You might think that a certain goal is in line with the group’s vision. However, if the group doesn’t agree, or if the goal doesn’t agree with your own personal beliefs and values it will not be achieved.

Realistic – Of course you need to set goals that are realistic. If you set goals that are beyond your or your group’s capabilities you will fail and lower morale.

Time Based – You need to set a deadline or deadlines for your goal. Not only will the deadline make it possible for you to manage time and lay out the specific tasks needed to achieve your goal. In addition, deadlines affect the achievability of a goal. Making $10,000 in sales is easier to achieve over a month than over 3 days.

Remember that these are just guidelines for writing goals. Also, it requires a lot of time and thought to actually decide what goals will fit into your vision. Furthermore, it is important to be constantly reviewing and editing your goals as you and your team’s situation changes.

Anyway it’s time to get cracking and set some new SMART goals.

-Jason

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