Setting goals or detailed plans is necessary for one to prosper. This could be a good motivator for employees. But other than being a motivational aspect it could also turn out to be destructive to oneself or to an organization. They come with their own set of risks and here are some of it.
New Year’s Syndrome. Setting goals is important. We all need to set goals in our lives and set them the right way. When we don’t set goals the right way, we suffer through uncertainty, frustration, and a generally unfulfilled state-of-mind.
It was Edwin Locke in the late 1960’s, who began his research of the power of setting goals and organizational performance. George T. Doran published in 1981 an article called “There’s a S.M.A.R.T. way to write management’s goals and objectives” and laid out the main principles of SMART goals.
SMART is an acronym for Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Time Bound. Goals should be as specific as possible, even if this means breaking them down. If a goal is not measurable, it is not possible to know whether a team is making progress toward successful completion.
SMART goals are: In the business world, George T. Dolan pioneered the idea of setting SMART goals back in 1981 (1). Since then, multiple authors have adapted his concepts to setting objectives for project management and personal development (2). Examples of how I employ SMART goals in scientific research: Specific. Goals should not be ambiguous.
SMART goal setting brings structure and trackability into your goals and objectives. The SMART criteria are Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, Timely. In stead of vague resolutions, SMART goal setting creates verifiable trajectories towards your goals and objectives.
What are SMART goals? SMART is an acronym for specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and timed. Setting SMART goals is important because through the power of goal setting, managers can set objectives for their teams to accomplish. Use the prompts below to ensure you set SMART performance goals with your employees.
Since its development in 1980s management literature, SMART has been a popular framework used to structure effective personal goals. We've put together a brief introduction to SMART goals with a few examples to help you apply them in your organisation.