The success of any team is often dependent on the leader of the team. A good leader is someone who knows how to inspire motivation, problem-solve on the spot, and helps the team succeed. While this is definitely added pressure for those in current leadership roles, learning how to properly set reasonable and attainable goals for your team is crucial to achieving success.
Goal setting allows your team to work towards something and inspires team-work and innovation. Your team cannot read your mind, so it’s important to openly communicate with them and properly demonstrate what your goals are, make valid plans to achieve them, and set appropriate deadlines. Here are some effective, helpful ways to set and achieve your goals.
Set Your Goal
The first step in goal setting is learning how to actually set your goal. An incredibly helpful way to do this is by following the SMART acronym: Specific, measurable, achievable, results-oriented, and time-bound. Defining your goal through this framework allows you and your team to have a full understanding of what exactly is hoping to be achieved here. It can also help to further motivate your team by showing them the full picture.
Establish Accountability
Once you and your team have defined your specific goal, it’s time to establish the owners of the project. This is certainly an opportunity for people on your team to step up to the plate and be held accountable for the goal’s achievement. This is very similar to the role of a project manager, as they should be working daily on the project and keeping you informed on the daily progress.
This not only instills confidence that the goal setting will be successful but also demonstrates to your team your willingness to delegate and present them with leadership opportunities within the project.
Measure Progress
Another important aspect of goal setting includes the ability to measure progress. Setting goals that are measurable will save you many headaches down the road. Measurable goals include goals with precise amounts, dates, and data. Including these within your plan will allow you to effectively measure how far you have come, and what you can expect to further achieve within a reasonable timeline.
If you set measurable goals, you’ll be able to measure progress along the way; the two coincide with one another. Tracking your numbers along the way will allow you to project their future movement. It can also assist in building and adjusting timelines, allowing the team to see what has worked so far, and what may need to be changed.
Create A Plan
Once you have gone through the steps of setting your goals, establishing accountability and authority, and built-in ways to measure progress along the way, it’s time to make your plan. Ultimately, your team needs to develop and create action plans that are evidence-based! The goal is to achieve the best possible outcome without wasting any time. Evidence-based action plans help assist with both of these elements of goal setting.
It’s crucial this part of the process is done side by side with the rest of your team, allowing for the sharing of ideas that may ultimately lead the team to succeed. Not only will this help motivate your team, but it also helps you plan for any potential problems down the road. The members of your team should be poking holes in the plan whenever possible to plan for any hiccups you may encounter along the way, or raise a question/concern that has not yet been vocalized.
Goal setting can be difficult and stressful but has proven to be incredibly successful when done correctly. Not only will it help you and your team achieve a milestone, but it will also help build strong team relationships along the way.