The Three Questions Leaders Should Ask Themselves about Employee Goals

There are three questions every manager should ask themselves while evaluating employee goals. If anyone of these three questions cannot be answered in the affirmative, then it might not be the best goal for that employee.

 

1. Is the goal achievable? As leaders we want our employees to succeed. Failing to achieve an impossible goal can be demoralizing to the employee. Once it becomes clear that the goals won’t be achieved; motivation will wane quickly.
2. Is the goal difficult? This might seem like it is in conflict with whether the goal is achievable, but it is different. The goal must stretch the employee. Successfully stretching employees will naturally improve productivity.
3. Will the goal move the strategic pendulum? Every employee goal should be linked to a company or team strategy. The employee needs to know how their success affects the organizations success.

Are there any other questions you would ask?

 

Mike Rogers

 

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Comments

[Ed Lamont CIC, CRM]

Hi Mike,

This suggestion might be considered a "tweak" on question #3.

Is the goal congruent with other goals? For instance, a goal to round out existing accounts may be incongruent with overall new sales production goals.

Why? Rounding out an account may offer a small amount of additional revenue vs. the larger income generated when writing new business. Thus, rounding accounts may make achieving total new sales production goals more difficult.

I ran into this when I was directed to round out accounts for E&O and total account commitment reasons. The rounding goal was linked to a company strategy; reducing E&O exposure and protecting existing accounts. Yet, my time to market for new business was abridged and this limited new production.

Achievable, difficult and strategic goals should be examined for congruency with each other. Incongruent goals cause frustration and reduce to likelihood of achievement of multiple goals.

I hope this is of value to you.

All the best,

Ed

[Doug Gorman]

Mike,

Excellent thoughts presented. I might add can it be quantified or is it measurable and is it time specific.

[Maxwell Pinto]

Well-written...
As regards 3. above, the employee should know how his or her success will affect the organization's success and vice-versa i.e. if the employee's performance adds value to the organization, will the organization add value to the employee in question, by way of words e.g. praise, respect, etc., and actions e.g. additional money, stock options, more challenging assignments, promotions,etc.

I have a policy of distributing free abridged versions of my books on leadership, ethics, teamwork, motivation, women, bullying and sexual harassment, trade unions, business law, etc., to anyone who sends a request to crespin79@hotmail.com.

Maxwell Pinto, Business Author
http://www.strategicbookpublishing.com/Management-TidbitsForTheNewMillenium.html

[Mike Rogers]

Thanks Ed, Doug and Max. Great points. Goals should be consistent with other goals. Goals must be measurable. And when ever goals are achieved there must be rewards. In fact, rewards ought to be attached to the goals previous to their implementation so those setting goals are aware of them.

- Mike

[Chris Bennett]

MIke, I agree with your original three points and it's clear to me when I'm at workplaces that many managers don't focus enough on #3.

I'd like to add, however, that I think #4 should be "Is this a goal the employee or team has/can get inspired about?" We so often conceive of and communicate goals that sound, and frankly are, boring. Therefore the people doing the work put it on the to-do list with a yawn and feel no sense of urgency or ownership.

Please note, I'm not suggesting that we make goals "fun" at the expense of making them strategic, challenging or targeted. But I think some management effort for increasing the inspiration factor can really pay off in results.

What do you think?

Chris Bennett

[Mike Rogers]

Chris, I agree with you. If there is any way to increase motivation to accomplish the goal, I am all for that. Maybe the fourth item should be to tie it to some type of incentive as well?

Mike

[true religion outlet]

I ran into this when I was directed to round out accounts for E&O and total account commitment reasons. The rounding goal was linked to a company strategy; reducing E&O exposure and protecting existing accounts. Yet, my time to market for new business was abridged and this limited new production.