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Goal Setting - Manager Tipsheet

The document provides tips for managers on setting goals with employees. It discusses identifying potential goals, validating the goals with the employee, and writing goals using the SMART criteria of being specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-based. The SMART criteria are then each defined with examples of poorly and well written goals.

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10 views

Goal Setting - Manager Tipsheet

The document provides tips for managers on setting goals with employees. It discusses identifying potential goals, validating the goals with the employee, and writing goals using the SMART criteria of being specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-based. The SMART criteria are then each defined with examples of poorly and well written goals.

Uploaded by

cecmed
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as RTF, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Setting Goals - Tipsheet for Managers

Identify The Goals:


When working with a manager or employee, begin by developing an initial list of potential goals. Consider the
following questions when developing goals:
 What is it that you want this person to accomplish?
 What is important for this individual to do in order to be successful?
 How will this individual support team/business unit/organizational success?

Validate The Goals:


Once you have developed an initial list of goals, invite comments from the manager or employee. Involve
them in the process of setting goals. Consider these questions:
 Based on business needs and the employee’s career development, are these the right goals?
 Are these goals short or long term? If the goals are short term, are they in logical order to
support the long term goal?
 What does the employee feel they need in order to achieve these goals?

Write SMART Goals:


Now that you and the employee have identified the right goals, compare how each goal statement is written
against the criteria for SMART goals shown below. Is the goal Specific? Measurable? Achievable? Relevant?
Time-based? Make the appropriate edits to the goal statements to make them SMART goals.

SMART goals, are goals that are:

S - Specific
M - Measurable
A - Achievable
R - Relevant
T - Time-based

 Specific – A specific goal is clear, unambiguous and focuses on one topic or area. It can be
communicated to others without confusion because it is well-defined and easily understood. Specific
goals identify “what” will be measured and allow the person to gauge progress toward achieving the goal.
The more specific you can be in defining what should be accomplished, the more likely the person will
be to achieve it.

Poorly written goal: “I will run a marathon”


Well written goal: “I will run a marathon on October 10th of this year”

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 Measurable – A measurable goal has a definable endpoint that is quantifiable (e.g., numbers,
percentages) that can be easily measured. This is important because it is easier to gauge when the goal
has been reached, and it provides a yardstick to measure progress toward the goal. By being
measurable, the person can judge whether he is falling behind and make an adjustment early enough to
still meet the goal. Not only is it motivating to see progress toward the accomplishment of the goal, it is
also important to know when to stop working on it – when its been achieved. Think of measures as
describing “how” someone will know when they’ve achieved a goal.

Poorly written goal: “Next year, I’ll sell a lot of units”


Well written goal: “Next year, I’ll sell 30 units/day more than this year”

 Achievable – An achievable goal is a goal that it is possible to accomplish. Be careful not to set goals
too high because goals that are impossible to achieve leave the person feeling discouraged, and will
have a negative impact on self-confidence. Be careful, too, not to set goals too low because goals that
are too easily attained will not be motivating. Try to set goals so that they challenge the person and
require him to exceed his normal performance to achieve them. Achieving goals that are outside the
person’s immediate grasp builds self-confidence and increases his ability to achieve even more in the
future.

Poorly written goal: “I will start training today, and be ready to run a
marathon by next month”
Well written goal: “I will start training today, and be ready to run a
marathon in six months”

 Relevant – A relevant goal is one that helps the person achieve what is important to them and the
organization. Because the time available to work on goals is limited by the number of hours in a day, it is
important to focus attention on tasks that will help reach long-term goals and, ultimately, achieve their
deeper values and vision. Think of this characteristic as providing the “why” of the goal – the purpose
behind achieving it.

 Time-based – A time-based goal is a goal that has a scheduled completion date. A deadline makes the
goal more concrete and helps to eliminate procrastination by providing a sense of urgency. It identifies
“when” the goal should be achieved.

Poorly written goal: “I will close the books.”


Well written goal: “I will close the books by the 10th calendar day of the
month.”

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