The Significant Aspects of Setting Goals

Have a pressing desire for your business to strive and succeed? The first step is to have clearly defined goals derived from your organization’s mission and vision that are realistic and attainable for your organization’s success. Here’s why goals are so significant. 

Once developed right, goals provide a direction for outstanding performance. They motivate and direct everyone in the organization towards desired projected outcomes and success. Without clearly defined goals your organization faces many problems such as instability, lack of focus, discontentment at all levels, low employees’ morale and productivity. For example, have you ever worked in an organization where there are no clearly defined goals and expectations? I did and I am sure if you did, you felt like me – frustrated, confused,  stagnated, incompetent, lacked motivation, drive, balance, desperate for change, growth, and professional development – the list goes on. Eventually, this kind of work environment if not changed soon can completely drain you and force you to move on and out like I did. The organization on the other hand, experienced a large diminish in its supply and demand and struggled to exist. For other examples, look at businesses that have a high turn over rate. What do you think is causing this and what would the future of these organizations be? If you study many businesses that have closed, I am certain you will find before closing many of the deficiencies listed above are included in the bundle of problems. Let us now examine what the existence of clearly defined goals in an organization accomplishes. 

Goals defined broad-based:
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Goals are typically understood to mean identified, specific, measurable results or outcomes your organization wants to achieve. Goals relates to the question of, “What do we wholeheartedly expect the results of our decisions and actions to be?”

Well defined goals can help you and your employees:

1. Make sound decisions and determine what work to focus on. 

2. Identify who should be assigned to what tasks and ensure that all tasks are completed in a timely manner.

3. Identify and utilize the right resources that are necessary for accomplishing tasks.

4. Determine how well you and your employees are performing and if assigned tasks are realistic and achievable.

5. Ensure that employees are in unison contributing to the overall success of the organization by meeting established expectations.

Goals are typically derived from the following sources:

1. The organization’s purpose – these goals are to be achieved on a day to day basis. They relate to the daily functioning of the organization.

2. The need to grow and expand -Organizations must continuously seek new means and ways to advance and become more effective and efficient in an ever changing world. These goals challenge the organization to improve its products and services to meet changes in demands and supplies. Examples of these goals includes creating and developing new products and services, more efficient production processes and better marketing strategies incorporating the use of updated technology.

3. Existing challenges -These goals are necessary for solving problems that affects effective performance and outcomes. For example, reducing mistakes and inaccuracy in products and service deliveries, bridging gaps in communication and  addressing concerns in customers dissatisfaction.

Overall, the big picture in goal setting is doing what is necessary to keep your organization functioning successfully with competitive edge. It is important for an organization not to create goals that are not meaningful to the overall organizational purpose. Creating too many goals will only result in organizational dysfunctions. Goals should focus everyone’s attention and efforts on the most important areas of the organization’s purpose.

As the President and CEO of Best Leaders’ Consulting, I have been faced with many challenges where I have had to adjust my goals to suit my organization’s vision and vice versa. I have found that other businesses, as well as, consumers are constantly evolving with time. Businesses also have to be current in study as well as be able to project, anticipate change and re-adjust their focus at any given moment. This is why leaders are to grow and learn constantly in order for their businesses to remain successful, competitive and stay in existence.

Written By: Iodelle A. Chinnery