A company without objectives is an inconceivable idea. But the most difficult thing is to set objectives that will allow the company to be sustainable. Goals are the heart of the dynamic. In today’s climate of uncertainty, goals will allow you to make the right decisions.
You want to set short, medium or long term goals for yourself or your teams but you don’t know where to start. Here are some simple tips for setting good goals that will motivate you or your teams.
The SMART method as a basis
It represents the basic method of setting a goal. Each letter of the word SMART represents one of the characteristics that your objectives must have
S for Specific and Simple
You need to personalize the goal with the person concerned. It must concern him or be linked to his work. Also make the objective simple and easy to understand.
M for Measurable
It is necessary that your objective is measurable. If, for example, you tell yourself that you need to increase your turnover, it is better to define by how much. You must be able to measure your progress and therefore a measure. Moreover, not having a measure rarely makes sense because you do not have a compass to carry out your actions and you can favor secondary tasks over essential tasks.
A for Ambitious and Accepted
Your objective must first be ambitious, it is not a question of setting objectives that you can achieve by doing nothing. They should help you move forward and be a source of satisfaction when you accomplish them. They must represent a challenge because they must make you want to achieve them. The term accepted applies more when you are setting goals for someone. If he thinks from the start that he won’t succeed and that your goal is unachievable, he will not adhere to your goal. By gaining true acceptance from the person, you create a sort of contract with them.
R for Realistic
It may seem silly, but if you set surreal goals for yourself, you will never achieve them. These are the famous to do lists where we must each time postpone operations because they are unachievable in the allotted time. They can quickly become a demotivating factor for the employee or yourself because the more time passes, the more you see that the objective will not be achieved.
T for Temporal
It’s good to set a goal, but even better to set a deadline. If you don’t have a date, you can’t organize your work, or know if you’re overperforming or vice versa. Setting a deadline also allows you to motivate yourself and avoid procrastination. Without a deadline, it’s difficult to get started.
Good practices on objectives
If you want to measure them, it is often useful to divide them into several categories: objectives for the day, those for the week and those for the month or even the year. Some tasks cannot be completed in a single day, so you will need to divide them over time.
Once all your tasks have been entered, do not hesitate to measure their duration in order to know if they are really achievable. Unfortunately there are only 24 hours in a day so there is no point in thinking about completing a task without having time. A schedule over a week, a month or even a year will allow you to see if achieving your goal is on track.
Another good practice: systematically add 30% additional time to each task to be sure that it is achievable. There are always unforeseen events or files that will slip between your different tasks. Don’t try to overload your schedule. Don’t hesitate to even create time slots for rest and time slots to catch up if necessary. Don’t overcalculate because nothing is more unpleasant and stressful than running late to meet your schedule.
Take time to congratulate yourself and see the work accomplished
Do not hesitate to note your progress on your objectives, nothing is more satisfying than seeing the progress accomplished since you initiated your challenge. Every day, you reach your goal a little closer, so why not give yourself a few minutes to admire your progress rather than constantly looking at the path ahead.
Every goal achieved can be celebrated! Have you accomplished or one of your collaborators accomplished one of the objectives? A thank you is a good start. Giving yourself even small rewards will motivate you even more to achieve the next goal. You will remember that each achievement is a source of pleasure and satisfaction. Your colleague will also see that you know how to reward your troops when they invest their time.
All you have to do is complete the first objective: fix them!
