Written by Shannon Van Kirk
There are many things that one must consider when starting or growing a business. What to specialize in? Who will be needed to get started? How will new clients be identified? How will you market to edge out the competition? The list goes on and on, but the one item that is absolutely essential to identify the answers to all of these questions and more is goal setting. The clearer the vision and more direct the focus, the better the probability that vision will be attained.
Goal setting has been around for decades and there are hundreds of successful methods that one can use to accomplish this, but the one thing each theory agrees on is that it must be done to achieve success and growth.
Any company, whether it has been open for one month or 30 years, needs to have a good system in place for reviewing, measuring, and creating goals for that organization. Some organizations look at goals on an annual basis, while others review them on a weekly or monthly basis. The sweet spot is determining what works best for your organization is somewhere between the two and positioning those review periods consistently across your organization. There are only 24 hours in a day and every action taken each day either adds or detracts from the end goal.
Key Essentials
It can be overwhelming to know where to begin when starting this process. One method frequently used is the SMART method. This technique identifies the five key essentials one should look at to create a path to success.
- Swho, what, where, and when for each goal.
- Measurable – How progress will be tracked and assessed.
- Attainable – Cast a broad net, but ensure that it’s doable in current conditions.
- Relevant – Does the goal move the needle forward? Is it sustainable?
- Timely – Establish deadlines for each goal.
>> READ MORE: How to Set SMART Goals on Grammerly
How to Get Started
When beginning this process it is best to look at each of the key essentials as it relates to the review periods that are determined for your organization. However, when it comes to the ultimate vision, it is important to look forward a minimum of one year to provide some long-term goals. Once those have been established, break those goals down into smaller chunks. It is best to identify semi-annual or quarterly goals next because it provides an opportunity to look back during the review period and see what worked and what needs to be adjusted.
If you look at this process as you would a GPS, the long-term goal is the destination, and the smaller goals are the streets and turns that are going to lead you there. You can’t know how to get there if you don’t know where you want to go.
Here are some helpful tips and tools to get started:
- Brainstorm. Share the vision that you have with others in your organization and on your team. Giving them the opportunity to be involved in the process creates a shared vision for the whole company.
- Map it Out. Creating a visualization can help with the creative process of seeing how each goal can be accomplished. Some popular methods for this are Mind Mapping, Flow Charts, or Goal Trees.
- Focus. Society celebrates busyness as a badge of honor, but when it comes to achieving goals, multi-tasking can quickly become an Achilles heel.
>> READ MORE: The Myth of Mastery by James Clear. - Tracking is Everything. No matter when the review period is set for, tracking daily throughout the process is important to ensure things continue to move forward. Forbes suggests meeting with your team(s) regularly and utilizing tools like spreadsheets or team sites to help track progress.
- Celebrate Milestones. Every milestone along the way deserves to be celebrated because you are closer to the goal than you were when you started. Take some time to treat yourself or your team to something special when you get there. It inspires and motivates everyone to keep pushing!
Let’s Review
Mapping out the future of your organization is the most efficient and productive way to get the results that you are striving for. It provides areas where strengths and weaknesses can be evaluated and adjusted along the way. This crucial step not only gives you methods in which progress can be tracked but also, by involving the team in the process, unifies the efforts of everyone involved. Take the time upfront to break it all down and the results will far outweigh the initial time involved.