Effective Goal-Setting Tip #1: SMART is Just the Start

I had a great time speaking at the Career Networking Group last week about Practical Goal-Setting: From Good Intentions to Great Achievements! The audience was wonderfully engaged throughout the talk, which made it a terrific event for me and for them. We discussed my spin on the SMART approach to goal setting and focused on ways to make it here-and-now useful for each participant.

Chances are, you're familiar with the traditional SMART technique. The idea is to make your goals Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Time-Based. And, in truth, I think this approach has actually got some merit. It transforms general good intentions - think, My team will be more effective - into actionable, measurable goals - think, My team will improve productivity by 20% over the next 6 months through focused, weekly team meetings and delegation of individual and group responsibility for specific tasks.

You can get as specific as you'd like with a goal like this. In some ways, the more specific, the better - as long as you keep it realistic and attainable. There's nothing less motivating than setting a highly specific goal that no one can possibly achieve.

The issue isn't that SMART doesn't work. Quite often, it does. The problem is that it's a dry, mechanical approach to goal setting. It doesn't do much for Napoleon Hill's "A goal is a dream with a deadline." (Check out my August 17 blog entry for more on this.) The traditional SMART technique is simply that - a technique. It's the necessary-but-not-sufficient framework for effective goal setting.

To move beyond the basics - to create goals that reflect your dreams - try my spin on SMART. Craft goals that are based in Strengths, Motivation, Accountability, Relevance and Tenacity. Check back soon, as I'll tackle each of these elements, one by one, to help you develop meaningful, inspiring goals - the kind of goals that bring you that much closer to fulfilling your dreams.

Until next time...

Liz