SMART Goal Setting: Using the SMART goal setting process to ensure goal statements are s

Many companies offer a corporate training workshop on goal setting. Goal setting is a common practice as part of an annual performance review process or strategic planning session for a business unit or department.

SMART is an acronym for Specific, Measurable, Agreed to, Realistic and Time phased. These criteria help to set goals that can be achieved.

Specific

A goal needs to be very specific. A vague goal that can't be measured is an invitation to procrastination as it is hard to know how to start working on the goal when it is not clearly defined. Start by drafting a goal statement. Ask yourself if this goal statement is so clear that anyone would understand what you are about to do. Test it by giving it to someone else to read and then ask them what they think you are trying to achieve. Does the goal statement answer the who, what, why, when and how about your goal?

Example of a specific goal statement: My goal is to make a minimum of 50K (including bonuses) by 2010 by taking professional development courses on leadership, applying for leadership positions within my company and talking to my supervisor and HR representative so they are aware of my goal.

Measurable

Goals need to be measurable so that there are benchmarks of attainment. Determining the metric or metrics to be used can be tricky but try to keep it as simple and as obvious as possible. If it requires careful record-keeping, make sure you have the labor power to make it happen.

The specific goal statement above could be measured by creating increasing benchmarks of earnings annually until 2010.

Strategic goals for business units are often measured using earnings or profit. Be careful that the right number(s) is/are tracked and that there are parameters around the metric(s) or you may find that employees use unethical behaviors to achieve the benchmark. For example, customer volume could be a metric used to achieve the strategic goal of being the top performing business unit. This may then lead to staff over spending on incentives to attract new customers or stealing customers away from other sales reps and so on. A better metric might be to measure net profit on new customers. You may find that you need to use multiple metrics to keep your goal specific. "Top Performing Business Unit" is too vague. If you find that your choice of metrics helps you define your goal statement, go back and revise your goal statement to include the metrics.

Agreed To

You need to have buy-in if this goal is to be attained. This buy-in may need to come from a supervisor, your company or a spouse. An awareness campaign or meeting may be needed to ensure that the business unit is all on board. Clearly articulating the goal and the metrics used to measure attainment will help communicate expectations clearly.

Be clear on cause behind the goal. If the cause or mission is clear, the goal will fit the cause neatly. This will help with buy-in around the goal if the cause already has buy-in.

Realistic

Is the goal something that is manageable in the time frame and with the current resources at your disposal? There is no point in creating a goal that requires resources that are unavailable or can not be made available. A brainstorming session may be necessary to find solutions to resource shortages. Empower staff to help find new alternatives if resources are at a premium.

Time Phased

Goals need to have a deadline. If you can not assign a deadline within your goal statement, you probably need to make your goal more specific. Our earlier example clearly stated the 2010 deadline. Assigning a finishing date allows you to go back and create benchmarks along the way to ensure that your goal's attainment is on schedule.

If you have comments or suggestions on this article, please start a discussion.

The copyright of the article SMART Goal Setting in Training/Professional Development is owned by Joni Rose. Permission to republish SMART Goal Setting in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

May 23, 2006 1:42 PM

Irene Taylor :

Hi Joni,

Thank you for an excellent article on goals and making them SMART! That is a very concrete way to define the various parts of the goal and how to make them useful to both the employee and employer.

Super job on this and your other <a href="http://trainingpd.suite101.com/articles.cfm">Training and PD articles</a> as well!

Irene

May 23, 2006 1:55 PM

Joni Rose :

Thanks Irene,

You are right that the SMART goal setting technique refines a goal statement to make it meaningful. I am glad you found the article helpful.

Joni

Jun 11, 2006 12:36 PM

Mark Barnes :

Great article, Joni. My forthcoming book, An Ordinary, Happy Man: Living rich when you're not wealthy, builds on this very concept.

Another very important part of a successful goals program is having a solid foundation for making the goal a reality. I recommend writing what I call Bricks. In other words, when the SMART goal is written, jot down three or more statements that will make the goal happen.

For example, if the goal is to lose 30 pounds in 2006, one brick might be: take a small second serving of the entree at dinner, only twice each week.

Another one might be: leave the dinner table for five minutes, during the meal, in order to allow time for the food to digest.

These are much better than the fad diets that exist, because the goal-setter is creating his/her own program.

Thanks again for the excellent article. I hope this helps.

Feel free to learn more about this concept at http://www.mbarnes.net.

Jun 11, 2006 2:57 PM

Joni Rose :

Hi Mark,

I like your concept of writing "bricks" as an action planning process. Certainly writing the goal is the first step in goal attainment - not the last. Creating an action plan to ensure the goal is achieved is the next part of the process.

I am a big believer in setting benchmarks and a time table and to celebrate achieving those benchmarks.

To me, this is where a lot of people and companies fail. They quickly move on to the next goal without stopping to celebrate the roses and really appreciate the hard work and efforts of a group (or themselves) to make the goal happen.

I am not suggesting that a party be held every time a goal is achieved but simply to stop and pat each other on the back - revel in the moment -so that the great feeling of goal achievement sinks in and motivates the next goal.

I speak of this concept in my blog on <a href="http://trainingpd.suite101.com/blog.cfm/1414"TARGET="_ blank">Measuring Your Performance</a>

What are your thoughts on this?

Joni