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!

The Culture Problem Most Leaders Don’t See—Until It Shows Up in Results

By Cathie Leimbach • April 28, 2026
Most CEOs don’t wake up worrying about culture. They’re focused on growth, margins, execution. But culture quietly determines all three. Because when people feel disconnected, something subtle happens: Execution slows Ownership drops Problems surface later—and cost more Nearly a third of employees describe their workplace as isolated or impersonal. That’s not just a morale issue. That’s an execution risk . And employees don’t “love” a company because of perks. They stay committed when they feel valued. When that’s missing: Effort becomes transactional Communication becomes minimal Discretionary effort disappears The data is clear—when employees feel valued: Attendance improves Conflict decreases Productivity rises This is where many organizations misfire. They try to fix culture with initiatives. But culture is shaped in daily leadership interactions —not programs. And most leaders haven’t been trained to have regular meaningful conversations. They have been promoted to people leadership positions yet not prepared for their new roles. When untrained leaders don’t get topnotch results, it’s not due to a gap in effort or potential. It’s due to a current gap in ability. What can you do about it? Where might your workplace culture be quietly affecting execution—even if performance still “looks okay”? 👉 Join our next 45-minute Leadership Conversation— Workforce Challenges . We’ll explore how culture impacts performance—and what leaders can actually do about it.

What’s Really Driving Employee Detachment?

By Cathie Leimbach • April 21, 2026
Most leaders don’t struggle because they don’t care. They struggle because the root causes of disengagement are easy to miss. Right now, many employees are emotionally detached from their workplaces—and a majority are still watching for their next opportunity. But this isn’t about perks or pay. It’s about something more foundational. Less than half of employees clearly know what’s expected of them. Even fewer feel encouraged to grow, connected to purpose, or heard at work. Those aren’t surface issues. They’re leadership gaps. And they show up in everyday conversations. Engagement is built—or broken—through how leaders communicate expectations, opportunities, purpose, and voice. For example: When expectations aren’t clear, people guess and stay busy—and performance suffers. When employees don’t see how their work matters, connection fades. When leaders don’t ask for employees’ perspectives, people disengage—even if they stay. These aren’t big system failures. They’re missed conversations. The good news? What causes detachment is also what fixes it. Where could clearer, more intentional leadership conversations reconnect your team? Look at your last two workplace culture or employee engagement surveys. What do they show about how well your leaders meet employee needs? Where are leaders falling short? How do these strengths and gaps affect your bottom line? How long are you willing to accept the underperformance that follows?  Your Next Step: Click here to book a free conversation with Cathie Leimbach about discovering and/or closing leadership gaps in your organization.