Tips for Improving Goal Clarity

Home Leadership Tips from Linda Tips for Improving Goal Clarity

Align team goals with organizational strategy and tactics.
Goals should describe “what” will happen before outlining “how” they will occur. Agree to the objective before discussing options for its implementation.
Make sure the goal is specific. Use behavioral, concrete language to describe the outcome. Start with an action verb and then identify the following:
- What
- How much
- Where
- When
- Under what conditions
Example: To increase sales from $2M to 3M in the Northeast region within six months without hiring any new sales people.
Be sure you can measure the results. How will things be different once this goal is accomplished? What will success look like?
Set attainable, realistic goals. Stretch, don’t snap. Ask yourselves if this has been done before, under what circumstances, and by whom.
Clearly define deadlines for completion of goals and, when appropriate, timelines for achieving major parts of large project.
Set priorities and force the tradeoff. Spend time and resources on the critical few.
Address the value of the goal. What good will it do to accomplish this goal? Focus on results, not activities.
Discuss worst-case scenarios for critical goals. Develop a contingency plan for addressing these roadblocks before they happen.
All meetings end with clear calls to action for individuals. One member takes responsibility for each major objective and agrees to oversee its completion.