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Goal Setting Strategies

For Managers

Practical strategies and actionable insights to craft meaningful goals that propel your team forward.

Key Topics Covered In This Guide

Understanding strategic vs task oriented goals
Formulating more effective goals
Managing to key goal outcomes

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Ready to set stronger goals and crush them?

Great! Keep reading.

Why Your Team Needs Quality Goals

Setting clear and meaningful goals for your team, and tracking progress towards those goals is a critical leadership skill. Successful organizations are ones that don’t just set goals at the start of the year or quarter and then check back at the end, they have a method for rallying the team around their goals and ensuring that everyone is tracking towards them. Why is this critical? Because goals set directions, specific objectives that provide a roadmap for the company, guiding each team’s activities and helping to measure progress. Unfortunately many companies fail when it comes to setting goals and aligning teams around goals because they don't understand that there are nuances between organizational, team, and individual goals.

Key indicators of leaders who set effective goals:

Align team efforts to organizational goals: Organizational goals are a crucial part of strategic planning, providing the foundation for developing strategies and action plans to achieve desired outcomes. Leaders who are skilled at this align teams around goals setting a clear direction for the organization and creating a sense of shared purpose, focus, and better resourcing to support said goals.
Measure team performance: Goals provide a basis for evaluating the performance of individuals, teams, and the organization as a whole. By defining specific, measurable targets, leaders across the organization can assess performance and make informed decisions about strategies and tactics.
Better allocate resources: When objectives are well-defined, organizations can allocate their resources in a way that maximizes their chances of success. Goals can be adjusted based on changing circumstances, allowing organizations to adapt to market conditions, technological advancements, and other external factors.

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How are you connecting the dots between strategic, tactical, and operational goals for your team?

Understanding Different Goal Types

Many managers approach goal setting as though there is only one type of goal. When they do this, they fail to see the nuances of goal setting and sadly fail to construct goals that will meet their critical objectives. Leaders who are skilled at goal setting understand that different goal types meet different organizational needs. These goal types include:

Strategic Goals

Big-picture objectives that articulate the vision the organization aims to achieve in the future. They are lofty e.g. penetrating a new market, hitting a critical market share, or launching new products. They typically cover a longer time horizon (1+ years) and tell the whole organization this is where we aim to go.

Tactical Goals

Focus on achieving strategic goals. They articulate specific objectives within a department or function that are critical to achieving strategic goals. They are more focused and have a shorter time frame (1 quarter to 1 year) than strategic goals.

Operational Goals

Detail the day-to-day tasks and processes of each department that are essential for the organization's functioning. They are the backbone that supports the business’s daily functions keeping the daily workings of your business on track. They’re your day-to-day targets that ensure routine operations, from production to customer service, are efficient and consistent. They specifically measure productivity, efficiency, quality, or other key performance indicators (KPIs)

Leaders who are skilled at goal setting understand that organizational goals are strategic thus setting the roadmap while team and individual goals are tactical and operational, thus clarify the key steps that everyone must take to get there.

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How are you connecting your team to both the tactical of today

and the loftiness of the future?

Formulating Stronger Goals For Stronger Outcomes

Goal formulation and goal writing are critical to successful outcomes. Sadly this is another area that many leaders fail in. Effective goal setting means writing goals that are clear to everyone who is a part of executing on those goals. Well written goals help align team members' efforts, provide clarity on expectations, and drive motivation and productivity. When it comes to goal setting, it is critical to get clear on if your goal is answering "What" or "Why". A lot of leaders think that everything needs to start with why; that is not always the case. “Why” is a very abstract concept whereas “what” is a very concrete concept. Match the wrong mode with your goal writing and it may not be clear to your stakeholders the goal you are trying to achieve. Here’s a quick overview of What” vs “Why goals.”

What Goals

Support accomplishing tasks by planning the specific actions needed and the potential obstacles to avoid in order to accomplish key objectives. What goals leverage nitty-gritty thinking they are short term focused on the specific tasks, resources, and processes needed to execute plans effectively. They provide a practical roadmap for implementation and focus on the specifics of how to accomplish critical goals and objectives.

Why Goals

Support accomplishing lofty, strategic outcomes by connecting work to a larger purpose - The Big Picture. This “Big Picture” thinking involves zooming out and looking at the broader context, long-term vision, and strategic direction. It focuses on understanding the larger goals, objectives, and impact of your work. When focusing on the larger context and strategic priorities leaders should leverage "why goals" goals so as to provide a strong rationale for setting specific objectives and connecting them to the overall vision, values, and long-term aspirations. This emphasis on why helps create a sense of purpose and meaning, ensuring that goals are aligned with the organization's mission and strategic direction

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Which goal perspective do tend to think about and leverage more often?

How are you going to start better balance both perspectives?

What vs Why Goals Cheat Sheet

What Goals

Support accomplishing tasks by planning the specific actions needed to accomplish key objectives. ��Perspective: Narrow View / Nitty Gritty

Thinking Style: Concrete Thinking

Execution Timing: Helpful in completing short-term, tactical execution

�Great For Answering

What is the first step we can take and subsequent actions?
What obstacles could stop us from achieving these goals and how can we prevent said obstacles?
What resources do we need to be successful in these goals?

Example

Increase sales by 20% in the next quarter.
Improve customer satisfaction rating by implementing a new support system that ensures a 24 hour response.�

Why Goals

Support accomplishing lofty, strategic outcomes by connecting work to a larger purpose.��Perspective: Wide View / Big Picture

Thinking Style: Abstract Thinking

Execution Timing: Helpful in defining long-term, strategic execution

�Great For Answering

Why are we doing this? What makes this meaningful?
What will be the benefit of completing the associated actions?
What will happen if we do not complete this goal?�

Example

Drive innovation and disrupt the market with groundbreaking products.
Enhance the company's reputation as a customer-centric organization.
Support sustainability initiatives to reduce environmental impact.

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Shifting between big picture and nitty-gritty thinking is an ongoing process that requires conscious effort and reflection. What do you �need as you learn to strike this balance?

Reflect to Improve

�As a leader, it is critical that you leverage different types of goals and goal accountability tools to ensure you are looking at both the organizational big picture and ensuring that your team is executing key actions that will help you reach your goals. Use the following coaching questions to help you navigate and balance these different perspectives and the goals that support them.

Big Picture Reflection: Take a moment to reflect on the broader vision and strategic direction of the organization.

What are the long-term goals and aspirations for your organization in the next 1-3 years?
What are the key strategic priorities or focus areas?
What are the potential opportunities and challenges in the external environment that may impact your goals?
How does your team’s work in the next 1-2 years contribute to the long-term organizational goals?
What are the key strategic priorities or focus areas for your team in the next 1-2 years.

Nitty-Gritty Assessment: Take a moment to reflect on the practical details and actionable steps required for goal execution.

What specific tasks, actions, or milestones are necessary to achieve your team’s goals in the next 1-2 quarters?
What resources (e.g., budget, manpower, technology) are needed to support goal implementation?
What potential risks or obstacles may arise during the execution phase?
What key performance indicators (KPIs) or metrics will help you track progress and measure success?

Regular reflection on how you are balancing these goal setting mindsets is crucial to success. Take time to evaluate your effectiveness as you start balancing big picture and nitty-gritty thinking so that you can identify areas for improvement.

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Where is your balance off? What steps are you going to take to gain a stronger balance for you and your team?

Striking the Balance

Effective goal setting requires a balance between big picture thinking and nitty-gritty thinking. Both perspectives are essential for comprehensive goal setting. This balanced approach will drive your team towards success while keeping sight of the larger vision and purpose. Consider the following tips to strike the right balance:

Start with the Big Picture: Begin by understanding the broader purpose, vision, and strategic direction. Visualize the big picture vision and the desired impact to connect with the larger purpose. Clarify how your goals contribute to the overall mission.
Chunk: Break down large goals into smaller, manageable tasks. Imagine the specific steps and actions required to make that vision a reality. This helps you focus on the nitty-gritty details without losing sight of the overall vision.
Prioritize: Prioritize your goals and tasks based on their alignment with the big picture vision. Assess their strategic importance and prioritize accordingly.
Continuously Align: Regularly assess and realign your goals with the big picture. As you dive into the nitty-gritty, ensure that the specifics remain aligned with the broader strategic context.
Be Nimble: Recognize that goal setting is an iterative process. Embrace adaptability and flexibility as you navigate the complexities of execution, making necessary adjustments while keeping the big picture in mind.
Hold Regular Alignment Check-ins: Schedule regular check-ins to ensure that your goals and actions are still aligned with the big picture. Use these moments to reflect and make necessary adjustments.

By understanding the distinction between big picture thinking and nitty-gritty thinking and embracing both mindsets, you can set goals that are strategically aligned, actionable, and impactful.

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Set your goals and crush them!

Goal Success Steps for Managers

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Where is your balance off? What steps are you going to take to gain a stronger balance for you and your team?

Reflect to Improve

Reflection is how we grow and course correct. take a few minutes to take stock of how you are setting goals for your team:

Are my team's goals clear and specific, ensuring there is no ambiguity?
What steps am I taking to ensure that my team’s goals are aligned with the overall mission and objectives of the organization?
What am I doing to ensure that team members have a clear understanding of what is expected of them?
How am I ensuring that goals are achievable and realistic?
How am I considering the capabilities and resources of the team when setting goals?
How are the goals I set challenging but still realistic, given the team's current skills and workload?
How do I consult with the team to ensure their input and perspectives are considered in the goal-setting process?
What steps am I taking to ensure team members understand the importance of goals and how their contributions contribute to the overall success?
Are there key performance indicators (KPIs) in place to measure success?
What Is the measurable system for monitoring goal progress of these KPIs? On a scale of 1-10, how effective is this system for monitoring progress?
How have I communicated expectations regarding progress reporting and provided necessary support for tracking?
How have I built flexibility into the goal-setting process to accommodate changing circumstances?
How open to feedback am I to adapt goals based on the team's experiences and insights?

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Ready to improve how you set goals?

Book a free consult with Coach Rach SebellShavit to discuss how you can transform how you lead your team.

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