Goal Setting or How Being SMART Isnt Always the Right Objective
Over the years much has been written on the subject of goal setting with most conventional wisdom coming down in favour of the SMART objective setting process.
SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, Timebound) has been around since the 1960's and is used by organisations to create effective objectives for themselves and their staff. In fact the SMART objective setting process is taught on many management training programs as the right way to set objectives in any situation.
There is, however, a slight failing with the whole idea around SMART objectives which is, to be fair, not a problem with the process but the wider context in which goals are set. All too often organisations set objectives for their staff only to find that in the final analysis that very few have been achieved or even attempted.
So, what is the problem with this approach to objectives, and why do they so often fail to capture the imagination of employees? The SMART model is missing two very important elements that will nearly always sabotage the take up of any objectives.
WII-FM
Often when organisations impose objectives on their staff the initial question that will be raised is 'What's In It For Me?' and in fact this is a perfectly valid question. A goal or objective whether at the corporate or personal level must be something that is a personal objective. It needs to be initiated, understood and bought-in to the individual for whom it is a goal.
High level corporate objectives by their very nature are impersonal and as such there is rarely significant buy in from employees. Even objectives that are tied in to personal rewards (such as a bonus) do not have a high buy in factor if they are too impersonal. There needs to be a sense of 'I can make a difference to this' at a personal level for it to really be taken up by staff.
It can be often be difficult with corporate objectives around profitability and growth to make these personal, and rightly so. These are corporate, high level objectives and unless an individual is tied in to them in some way (as a shareholder for example) then any attempt to cascade these down to lower levels will fail.
The WII-FM issue is for the most part the highest motivator for an individual and a truly effective goal setting strategy takes this into account.
Fascinating Captain
The other and equally important theme missing from the SMART objective setting process is that of interest. For a goal to be really effective and attained it needs to be interesting, exciting and something the individual can get passionate about.
Too many goals, especially corporate ones, are lacking in the area of being interesting. For example, an objective on quality will only be pursued by someone who believes that quality is of interest, for those people who believe it to be important (but not interesting) they will try to ensure that the quality doesn't drop but it is unlikely that they will go out of their way to ensure quality improves.
Interest in a subject can be generated through corporate reward, however it is rare that this happens as, like the personal side of objective setting, it is outsise the SMART model.
PRISM - the lighter side of objective setting
The SMART model is good and has served for a long time, however in todays modern society, with vast tranches of the working population becoming dissatisfied with their lot a new approach to coporate oblective setting is required.
The PRISM model covers all 5 points of the old SMART process and adds 2 more. PRISM is an acronym for Personal, Realistic, Interesting, Specific and Measurable.
Does this mean that PRISM objectives are not Achievable and Timebound? Not at all, in the PRISM model for an objective to be truly Realistic by definition it has to be Achievable, if it is not achievable then it isn't and could never really be realistic.
As for the time element of the objective this is covered by measurable. In a science experiment for something to be measurable it needs a start and an end, in life the same applies, if an objective is to be measured it has to be measured against time as well as any other measure, so in the PRISM model Measurable means against all criteria and not splitting out the time elements.
It's all Me, Me, Me
The PRISM model doesn't profess to be the ultimate solution for corporate goal setting woes however the addition of the personal and interest features into the process will add new dimension to the objective setting process and will guarantee that the objective has a considerably higher take up than those set with the SMART model.
Corporate goals do not have to be faceless and force fed onto the workforce, by making any objective Personal to the individual and of Interest (with or without reward) then your chances of actually attaining it will dramatically increase.
So, next time there is a strategy session and the subject of goals appears, just ask yourself 2 questions, 'What does it do for me?' and 'Just how interested am I in this?', if you can't answer those then perhaps, just perhaps, you need to rethink your goals.
More information regarding staff performance, the PRISM© Goal Setting System and additional tools for improving organisational management can be found at http://www.achievinggreatness.co.uk
L Stuart Avery 2005 © Achieving Greatness Ltd. All rights reserved.
-----
PERMISSION TO REPUBLISH: This article may be republished in newsletters and on web sites provided attribution is provided to the author, and it appears with the included copyright, resource box and live web site link.
L Stuart Avery is the Managing Director of Achieving Greatness Ltd, an organisation dedicated to raising awareness around personal and management behaviours. Achieving Greatness specialises in offering advice and support to organisations going through change intitiatives and looking to enhance the performance of their staff. It provides training courses, facilitiation services and coaching to business leaders on Leadership, Management and Strategy.
Stuart has over 20 years of experience across a wide range of industries including Government, Charities, Retail, Travel, Insurance, IT Services and Logistics.
For more information visit http://www.achievinggreatness.co.uk
 Google News Updated : Fri, 05 Sep 2008 14:05:39 GMT Dell looks to sell factories worldwide - CNNMoney.com
CNNMoney.com - By Scott Moritz Dell (DELL) is getting more serious about trimming costs and is exploring plans to sell its PC manufacturing plants, according to a news report Friday. Dell said to consider sale of factories Ahead of the Bell: Dell may sell plants, WSJ says Publ.Date : Fri, 05 Sep 2008 13:15:09 GMT PIECING TOGETHER A PLEA How the deal got done - Detroit Free Press
Detroit Free Press - BY JOE SWICKARD • FREE PRESS STAFF WRITER • September 5, 2008 Prosecutors rolled Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick's plea deal into court Thursday praying the wheels wouldn't fall off. Detroit Mayor Acknowledges 'Poor Judgment' Detroit mayor pleads guilty, to leave office Publ.Date : Fri, 05 Sep 2008 07:57:24 GMT Nokia Forecasts Drop in Third-Quarter Market Share (Update1) - Bloomberg
Bloomberg - By Juho Erkheikki Sept. 5 (Bloomberg) -- Nokia Oyj, the world's biggest maker of mobile phones, forecast a drop in third-quarter market share after competitors slashed prices and a new handset was delayed. Nokia Sees Market Share Slipping in Third Quarter Nokia Lowers its Third Quarter 2008 Mobile Device Market Share Outlook Publ.Date : Fri, 05 Sep 2008 12:50:07 GMT Lebanese ruling majority accuses Syria of interfering in Lebanon - Xinhua
Xinhua - BEIRUT, Sept.5 (Xinhua) -- Lebanese ruling majority accused Syrian President Bashar Assad of interfering in Lebanese internal affairs and not recognizing Lebanon's sovereignty, local press Naharnet reported Friday. Video: Sarkozy in Syria : the press is divided Editor's Notes: A losing battle, so far Publ.Date : Fri, 05 Sep 2008 11:59:29 GMT In Long-Awaited Maps of Cancer, The Breakthrough Is the Problem - Wall Street Journal Wall Street Journal - By GAUTAM NAIK After struggling for years to improve the treatment of cancer, scientists now hope to fight the disease with the help of the same techniques that deciphered the human genome eight years ago: mapping it. What You Need to Know About Mapping the Cancer Genome Data on defective genes make tailored remedies possible Publ.Date : Fri, 05 Sep 2008 04:01:28 GMT Reviews of McCain's speech - MSNBC
MSNBC - The AP’s Ron Fournier says McCain “preached bipartisanship and unity from a stage retooled to carry him out to the Republican faithful. McCain: I work for you ‘Change is coming,’ McCain tells GOP in speech Publ.Date : Fri, 05 Sep 2008 13:35:16 GMT Lavrov rejects Cheney's attack on Russia - CNN International
CNN International - By CNN's Matthew Chance MOSCOW, Russia (CNN) -- Russia on Friday rejected sharp criticism by US Vice President Dick Cheney that its intervention in Georgia raises doubts about Moscow's reliability as an international partner. Video: Cheney Slams Russia for War Against Georgia Russia says Cheney fanning Georgian aggression Publ.Date : Fri, 05 Sep 2008 12:45:40 GMT More Web Site Traffic |
PARLOT::Ebooks, Scripts,
Websites, and more... Let's face it. Overcoming procrastination can be a challenge if... Read More I believe innately we all do our best. We work... Read More To reach goals, consider this illustration: If you see roadblocks... Read More Lately I have been studying mindset and goals, and wanted... Read More 1. Your first ultimate start must include written goals and... Read More Everybody on this planet has enemies, rivals and foes. Call... Read More The three keys to living without limits have always been... Read More Here is a unique way to combine your breath and... Read More I wanted to learn to swim. So I set my... Read More INTRODUCTIONThis article is used for discovering our needs from life,... Read More Do you have a goal for the future that you... Read More Many people envy academics who take sabbaticals. What they don't... Read More Several articles and newsletters with the message that New Year's... Read More Over time I have come to realize that the three... Read More "What we need most, is not so much to realize... Read More Ever notice when you start a new hobby or fall... Read More Goal-mapping is like a treasure hunt, you must first start... Read More I guess I found some hot buttons last week eh?... Read More Creating your path to success depends on walking on a... Read More I was at work one day, calling on a customer... Read More In Part 1 I started the discussion on what to... Read More The vast majority of us learn very early on that... Read More Every time you get in your car to go anywhere,... Read More Some of my clients have come to me feeling like... Read More Do you want to get better results from daily exercises... Read More
Adsense
websites
The Secret of Overcoming Procrastination in 4 Simple Steps
Fulfill Promises You Make to Yourself
To Reach Goals: Bypass Resistance & Gather Assistance
The Power of Goals - Gordon the Tank Engine
19 Ultimate Success Tips for your Online Business
Seven Deadly Enemies That Stop You From Reaching Your Goals
7 MUST-HAVE Conditions To Goal Setting
Achieve Goals Using The Lasso Principle!
Celebrate Achieving Smaller Goals Along The Way
What Do You WANT? What Do You DESERVE?
Master Your Destiny
Sabbatical from Work? Start Here!
Resolutions? Try this!
Lifes Values
How To Get Real
How To Rise Above The Clutter In Your Brain
Goal-Mapping
Got Purpose? Part 2
Create Your Path to Success - Achieve Key Goals
Ready, Set, Change!
Actual Achievement Part 2
The Power of the Negative
Driving To Your Goals
Under Their Thumb - Tripping The Parental Triggers!
How to Maximize Goals, Affirmations and Visualizations
Affordable and Reliable Web Hosting Starting at $4.49/Month
Working on Your Groove
We all come to a point in our lives, like... Read More
Who Needs a Rear-view Mirror? Successful Living by Mastering Our Past
When driving, we need to check our rear-view mirror every... Read More
How to Replace Bad Habits with Good Ones: The Science of ?Habit Management?
Few things are more difficult than kicking bad habits or... Read More
Everyone Needs a BAG (Big Audacious Goal)
A Big Audacious Goal (BAG) is a clear and compelling... Read More
Perseverance: When You Master this Tool, Your Goal Setting Success will Soar
"Life is not easy for any of us. We must... Read More
The Future: Help is Available
How important do you believe it is to think about... Read More
A Winner Never Uses Chance or Luck to Win
In games of chance, what separates a player from a... Read More
Why You Must Stop Setting Goals
My goal in life is to have no goals. They... Read More
On Achievement
If a comatose person were to earn an interest of... Read More
A Simple Solution For Accomplishing Any Goal
Have you ever had someone ask you to do some... Read More
Goal Setting Basics - 3 Steps Plus 1
Goal setting seems to be one of the most misundertood,... Read More
Top Ten Ways to Achieve Your Goals
1) Write them down! Statistics show people who write down... Read More
Resolutions? Try this!
Several articles and newsletters with the message that New Year's... Read More
How To Rise Above The Clutter In Your Brain
Ever notice when you start a new hobby or fall... Read More
You Are What You Do!
Too often, people say one thing and do another. I... Read More
Increase Your Knowledge: Read-and-Reap
Did you know that you see with your mind as... Read More
Share Your True Colors
Don't you just love the leaves changing colors in the... Read More
Cheerleaders
This week's article assumes that you have chosen a goal,... Read More
Creative Visualization: How to Supercharge Your Goal Setting
Do you know the single best way to "supercharge" any... Read More
Living The Real Life Beyond Goal Setting
In many of his wonderful talks the motivational speaker Zig... Read More
11 Questions To Kickstart Your Dream
What's your dream? Want to give your vision a jumpstart?... Read More
Make Goals Specific
Saying that you want to be rich isn't enough. However,... Read More
Goals ? The Forgotten Success Element
Goals are extremely important and are the key to any... Read More
Commit It To Paper
Commit it to paper - You have the idea so... Read More
Waiting On Your Big Break Is Playing Desperation Life!
Have you ever put all your eggs in one basket?... Read More
Goal Setting |