Having goals is critical to making progress, but strong organizational goals are not the same as effective work team or employee goals. Getting that distinction clear can accelerate progress for everyone.
Some of the muddling of these two concepts comes from over-applying the well-known SMART model—specific, measurable, assignable, realistic, and time-bound—for goal-setting. That works beautifully for corporate goals, but it doesn't necessarily translate to a work group or individual goal that must be more focused on tactical behavioral change.
Instead of applying the original model indiscriminately, try adapting it with an eye toward enhancing employee engagement and aligning with management strategies. That way, you can develop goals that are still specific, meaningful, agreed-upon, realistic, and tracked, but are compatible at these more granular levels.
Construct specific goals with an eye toward leading employees to better performance. You might start with goals that measure end results, such as sales figures, and then develop individual or work-group goals that measure behaviors that lead to better outcomes. For example, if more prompt follow-up calls or emails increase sales, set your work group goal around that behavioral metric. The more specific these goals are, the more actionable they become.
But don't let your team members get lost in the details. Chasing specific numbers without context can often defeat the point of progress. Keeping these goals meaningful helps make them memorable and important within the context of team members' roles. Seeing progress toward these meaningful goals motivates employees and strengthens morale.
Setting SMART goals means that outcomes will be achievable and that the process will be galvanizing to employees.
If middle managers are to succeed in their roles, they must be empowered to set SMART goals. Here are three steps to effectively begin setting strong goals at the work-group level.
Establish leading goals and lagging goals. The whole team must be able to observe how changes in practices and behavior are improving results. Setting leading goals shows this in action, and lagging goals monitor the leading indicators.
First published Jan. 14, 2019, on the SmartBrief blog.
Burl Stamp is the founder and president of Stamp & Chase, a consulting firm that helps organizations improve their customer experience, build brand loyalty, promote a culture of safety, and increase employee engagement.