As I was researching ideas to discuss with our sales team, I stumbled across a great white paper from Leadership IQ. Are SMART Goals Dumb? S- Specific, M-Measurable, A- Achievable, R-Realistic and T-Time-bound. After reading the article, it did start to make me rethink what I was trying to accomplish. Are my own goals, professional and personal SMART or NOT. Are they going to get me where I want to be. Not only get me there, would it be fun, meaningful and exciting along the way. After reading a few of the survey results, I know I am not the only one questioning my Goals.
The Leadership IQ study was conducted with over 4000 employees within 400 organizations t
o see what kind of goal-setting process their organizations had in place and how they felt about it.
They discovered that most goals are not particularly helpful.
15% of employees strongly agree that their goals will help them achieve great things while only 13% strongly agree that their goals this year will help them maximize their full potential.
This study also helped determine how employee engagement was higher with employees that felt their goals were set in a way that would push them to accomplish great things and maximize their full potential.
Here are the Top 8 factors for great goal setting
- I can vividly picture how great it will feel when I achieve my goals.
- I will have to learn new skills to achieve my assigned goals for this year.
- My goals are absolutely necessary to help this company.
- I actively participated in creating my goals for this year.
- I have access to any formal training that I will need to accomplish my goals.
- My goals for this year will push me out of my comfort zone.
- My goals will enrich the lives of somebody besides me (customers, the community, etc.).
- My goals are aligned with the organization’s top priorities for this year.
To achieve great things, we must all do things differently. Maybe it’s time to learn more about HARD goals:
Heartfelt – My goals will enrich the lives of somebody besides me – customers, the community, etc.
Animated – I can vividly picture how great it will feel when I achieve my goals.
Required – My goals are absolutely necessary to help this company.
Difficult – I will have to learn new skills and leave my comfort zone to achieve my assigned goals for this year.
Maybe it’s time to change things up a little and think differently on what can be accomplished! HARD Goals – we can do that!
For more about this study, HARD Goals, Hundred Percenters - http://www.leadershipiq.com/white-papers/are-smart-goals-dumb/
