How to Set Goals that get Results
Cathie Leimbach • May 12, 2021
Goals are important. They are at the core of uniting all members of the team around a common purpose. They motivate and inspire. Goals also prompt employees to plan and provide guidance on which projects they should spend time on completing. Finally, they create the foundation for evaluating each employee’s performance. But, as necessary as goals are, they are not all created equal.
- Only 20% of people set goals. And 70% of them fail to achieve the goals they set. Here are the reasons why goal setting often fails:
- A lack of motivation to change
- Fear of failure
- Goal setting processes are confusing and too narrow
- Analysis paralysis where your employees overthink everything.
There are five solid principles to effectively setting goals that get results:
- Start with the end in mind. Then, embrace and feel invested in the result. For example, exceeding sales goals might result in your employee receiving a big bonus check and that shiny new convertible they have been eying. Understand the steps and push a little beyond what is expected and comfortable.
- Make sure that your employees are included in the goal setting. Unfortunately, less than 40% of employees are very involved in their goal setting. Providing ownership increases buy-in and accountability. Strong leaders don’t push goals on their team. Instead, they work together to craft plans in alignment with company objectives.
- Track goals consistently. You can’t improve what isn’t measured. When goals aren’t tracked, they are worthless.
- Make goals visible throughout the organization. Nearly 40% of employees say they cannot see the goals being set throughout the organization. This inhibits collaboration and reduces awareness of progress.
- Review and revise goals. Neither business nor goals are static. One key component to set effective goals and improve performance is to look back and ask “what worked, what didn’t” and “what can we learn to improve our performance.”
A goal without a plan is just a wish. Coaching and empowering your employee to set goals starts with a conversation. Consider these steps:
- Ask your employee what specifically he wants to accomplish.
- Discuss how Important it is by asking:
o How important is this goal to you, on a 1 to 10 scale?
o What makes this goal important to you?
o On a 1 to 10 scale, how high a priority is this goal for you?
- Measure the end result and what is involved in getting there by evaluating and identifying:
o When it will be achieved. Ask, “when would you like to accomplish this goal? Please provide me with a date.”
o Where is your employee currently towards achieving the goal? “Where are you today in your efforts to achieve this goal?”
o What actions need to be taken. “What specific tasks and activities will you need to complete to achieve your goals.”
- Explore if it is realistic. “With everything else on your plate is it realistic for you to set and pursue this goal now?”
Empowering your employees to go from thinking about it to doing something about it will improve overall performance, keep your employees engaged and they will help to meet your organization’s goals.
Interested in learning more about effective goal setting? Reach out for a 20-minute breakthrough session!
For weeks, Mary had been frustrated with frequently occurring delays in shipping. During her one-on-one with her supervisor, she finally told him what was going on. He listened, asked questions, and said he would look into it. She left the meeting feeling encouraged. Maybe this situation would finally get resolved. A week later, her supervisor started their one-on-one by asking “So, what do you want to talk about today?” He didn’t mention what he had learned about the problem in shipping. “Of course not!,” she thought. “Nothing is going to change.” So, she sadly replied, “Nothing really. Everything’s fine.” Sometimes employees stop talking because experience has taught them that speaking up doesn’t make any difference. One-on-ones are an opportunity to change that. Give the employee a voice in what gets discussed. Help them address bottlenecks. Follow-up on your to dos from the conversation. It can be as simple as: “Last week we talked about the shipping problem. I checked into it, and here’s what I found out. A possible solution would be this .... How do think that might work? ... What other ideas do you have?” The message is clear: I heard you. I remembered. What you have to say matters. And when employees believe their concerns and ideas matter, they’re more likely to keep speaking up. Conversation is Where Leadership Happens™ What Workplace Conversation Are You Struggling With? Maybe an employee has stopped talking. Maybe you’re dealing with accountability, conflict, attendance, performance—or simply a conversation you’re not quite sure how to approach. Bring it to the FREE Workplace Conversations Clinic on September 21. Join Cathie Leimbach and other leaders to talk through real workplace people challenges, hear different perspectives, and get ideas for moving forward. Register Here
Many leaders don't set out to become the answer to every question. It happens gradually. Someone asks their leader how to do it because it's faster than figuring it out. Another employee waits because they don't want to make the wrong decision. Before long, you're answering questions your team should be able to answer on their own. The good news is that you don't have to be the answer to every question. You can build a team that thinks, solves problems, and takes ownership without you giving up appropriate control. Here are a few places to start: Ask Before You Answer When someone brings you a problem, don't start by giving them the solution. Instead, ask: What do you think? What options have you considered? What would you do if I wasn't here? People grow when they think through problems—not when someone else thinks for them. Let Small Decisions Stay Small. Not every decision needs your approval. Look for low-risk opportunities where employees or supervisors can tell the employee to make the call themselves. Confidence grows with experience. Praise Initiative, Even When It's Imperfect. If people believe they'll be criticized every time they make a decision, they'll stop making them. When someone takes ownership, recognize their initiative. Coaching them to make a better decision is easier in the long run than making every decision yourself. Notice the Questions That Keep Coming Back. If you're answering the same questions week after week, don't just answer them faster. Ask why they're still being asked. The issue may not be your people. It may be an unclear expectation, an inconsistent process, lack of training, or a conversation that never happened. Helping people think for themselves doesn't happen in one meeting. It happens through dozens of everyday collaborative conversations that gradually build confidence, judgment, and ownership. Conversation is Where Leadership Happens™ You don't have to figure it all out alone. Bring your workplace people challenges to the FREE Workplace Conversations Clinic September 21. Join Cathie Leimbach and other leaders for a practical conversation about the people challenges you're facing—and leave with fresh perspectives you can put to work. Register HERE
