- What are smart goals?
- How To Write Smart Goals? 7 Essential Tips On Setting Smarter Goals
- How To Set Smart Goals At Work?
- Conclusion
What are smart goals?
The SMART goal-setting style is one of the most popular goal-setting frameworks managers use globally. Goal-setting is essential for team managers to achieve professional targets promptly. However, setting poor goals can leave managers feeling dissatisfied and burnt out. SMART goals put forth guidelines for setting goals that work for you and your team!
The SMART goal-setting technique calls for improved goal-setting practices, which make acting towards those goals easier. The acronym SMART stands for specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and timely. These five words form the fundamental tenets of the goal-setting habits used by great managers. In the following sections, we will understand these qualities of smart goals in greater detail with smart goal examples for work that managers can use.
Specific
The first principle of the smart goal-setting framework, denoted by the letter S stands for “specific.” Accordingly, the goal should be extremely clear. Everyone involved in the goal-setting process should be able to understand it without confusion.
For instance, if the manager is setting goals for the entire team, they should explain the ideas behind them and the process of achieving them in substantial detail so that the team is updated and motivated. The goals you set should be so specific and should have such clarity that they leave no room for misinterpretations and going off track. A specific goal comes with a specific action plan to pursue, making it easier for an employee to carry it out.
Smart goal – We will target the age group of 15 to 30 years for our new product.
Non-smart goal – We will be targeting young people for our new product.
More such specific goals examples for managers are listed below:
- Specific goal examples for managers #1: Increase customer satisfaction ratings by 15% within the next quarter by implementing a new feedback system.
- Specific goal examples for managers #2: Reduce employee turnover by 25% within the next year by improving communication and recognition efforts.
- Specific goal examples for managers #3: Complete a leadership training program within the next six months to improve management skills and become a better leader.
- Specific goal examples for managers #4: Increase team productivity by 20% within the next quarter by implementing a new project management tool and establishing clear goals.
- Specific goal examples for managers #5: Reduce workplace accidents by 50% within the next year by implementing a new safety training program and enforcing safety procedures.
Measurable
The second principle of the smart goal-setting framework, denoted by the letter M, provides that goals should be measurable. You cannot measure an unknown quantity with success; goals need concrete targets and objectives that can be counted on. Furthermore, the outcome of a plan can only be measured along the journey and ultimately after its completion. Therefore, we need a method for measuring progress that is definite and consistent.
The goal must be measurable through clear, predetermined means before it is put in place or after completion. In short- A measurement system for Smart Goals must include ways of tracking results so you know how close people are to achieving these specific goals. By having a measurable goal, employees can monitor their progress and adjust properly.
Smart goal – Every member of the marketing department should increase social media following by 5%.
Non-smart goal – Each team member of the social media team should make a good number of posts each day.
More measurable goal examples for managers are listed below:
- Measurable goal examples for managers #1: Increase website traffic by 25% in the next quarter.
- Measurable goal examples for managers #2: Reduce customer wait time by 50% within the next month.
- Measurable goal examples for managers #3: Increase social media engagement by 20% within the next six months by posting daily updates and responding to comments.
- Measurable goal examples for managers #4: Increase sales revenue by $100,000 within the next year by expanding into new markets.
- Measurable goal examples for managers #5: Reduce production defects by 15% within the next quarter by implementing a new quality control process.
Achievable
The third fundamental principle outlined under the smart goal-setting framework, identified by the letter A, calls for achievable or attainable goals. Goals can often challenge the individuals aspiring toward them, but they should not be set out of their reach. Setting unrealistic goals does more harm than good. Managers should know the capabilities of their employees and the systems they have deployed in their team. They should then incorporate that information to set goals that can be challenging for their employees’ professional development but should be achievable. They should be within the intensity of their employees’ capabilities and the team’s needs.
How to know your team better? Check out one-on-one meetings!
Smart goal– Person A (a new business development executive) should call and send personalized emails to 10 leads per day this quarter. Person B (an experienced business development executive) should call and send customized emails to 25 leads per day this quarter.
Non-smart goal – Every business development executive should call and send personalized emails 100 leads per day.
A few more examples of achievable goals for work are listed below:
- Achievable goals examples for managers #1: Increase email newsletter subscribers by 500 within the next three months by optimizing signup forms and offering incentives.
- Achievable goals examples for managers #2: Reduce customer complaints by 20% within the next six months by improving product quality and customer service.
- Achievable goals examples for managers #3: Increase employee satisfaction ratings by 10% within the next year by implementing a new wellness program and providing more opportunities for professional development.
- Achievable goals examples for managers #4: Increase monthly website revenue by 15% within the next six months by optimizing ad placements and improving website user experience.
- Achievable goals examples for managers #5: Reduce response time to customer inquiries by 50% within the next quarter by implementing a new customer support ticketing system and providing additional training to support staff.
Realistic
The fourth principle of the smart goal-setting framework, denoted by the letter R, calls for realistic goals. Goals need to be in line with the surrounding environment. You should not set unrealistic goals but make them much more challenging while still being realistic if you want to overcome your limits. The goals should reflect the reality of your business’s current standing. Setting up unrealistic goals will demotivate your employees when they are not achieved. They may even deviate you from attaining the deserved strategic success by taking you and your team in the wrong direction. It doesn’t mean the goals should not be stretched to push the team’s and individuals’ capabilities.
Smart goal – We should jump from 10% to 15% of the market share by the end of the quarter.
Non-smart goal – We should jump from 10% to 50% of the market share by the end of the quarter.
More such realistic goals examples for managers are listed below:
- Realistic goals examples for managers #1: Launch a new product line within the next six months, targeting a new customer segment with a clear value proposition.
- Realistic goals examples for managers #2: Increase employee productivity by 10% within the next quarter by implementing a new task management system and providing additional training and support.
- Realistic goals examples for managers #3: Expand into two new geographic markets within the next year by conducting market research, building partnerships, and establishing a local presence.
- Realistic goals examples for managers #4: Improve customer retention rate by 15% within the next six months by improving customer service and offering loyalty rewards.
- Realistic goals examples for managers #5: Reduce operating costs by 10% within the next year by optimizing supply chain management, reducing waste, and improving efficiency.
Timely
The last principle of the smart goal-setting framework calls for timely goals. The goal needs to have a Target Date. You cannot let a plan drift away and do nothing. If you make an achievable goal, drive it towards your Target Date. Managers should make sure that the goals they set are strictly time-bound. It will make it clear to the employees how much time they have to achieve the desired goals.
Smart goal – Business analysts should submit the growth reports by Tuesday EOD.
Non-smart goal – Business analysts should submit growth reports ASAP.
Some more examples of timely goals for managers are listed below:
- Timely goals examples for managers #1: Launch a new website within the next two months, with all content and functionality completed and tested.
- Timely goals examples for managers #2: Complete a team-wide review of leadership skills with Risely’s free assessment within the next four weeks, providing feedback and actionable recommendations to all managers.
- Timely goals examples for managers #3: Increase social media advertising spend by 20% within the next month to take advantage of a seasonal marketing opportunity.
- Timely goals examples for managers #4: Launch a new product within the next six months, with all necessary testing, packaging, and marketing materials completed.
- Timely goals examples for managers #5: Complete a company-wide diversity and inclusion training program within the next quarter, with all employees participating and completing required assessments.
How To Write Smart Goals? 7 Essential Tips On Setting Smarter Goals
1. Establish a goal-setting process with your team
Smart goals are something you’ll always have to create and track, so a managers’ first step should be to implement a goal-setting process that ensures your team is all on the same page. This can ensure that everyone is on the same page, feeling safe and seeing a common goal. A team will always be able to communicate better if they understand how things progress together. By making your staff aware of this process you’ll all get there faster!
The smart goal-setting process must be meaningful to each person on the team for individual and team goals. it should cater to the objectives to work, and an employee must buy into it. This method ensures that the employee and manager both understand the goal. This method will also have a positive impact on employee engagement as employees will feel involved in team processes.
2. Identify personal and professional drivers for success
Personal drives are what motivate you. They are the difference between going from 50% motivation to 100%. These can include things such as security, job satisfaction, and stability in your job. This will change over time depending on their needs for personal success.
The professional drivers will include transparency of goals, soft skills, etc. These will also change over time based on their tasks, profession, and role. They should be included in the goal process for alignment with employee objectives either personal or professional goals. These drivers can be unique for different managers and identifying them will prove to be highly effective for the process of smart goal-setting.
3. Brainstorm potential smart goals that align with your personal and professional drivers of success
After identifying these drivers, managers can incorporate them into the smart goals and incentives of their employees. That will ultimately make goal-setting much more efficient. The goals and incentives should be able to foster the desired results that lead you in the direction of your personal and professional drivers of success. Managers should identify these potential goals and ask their employees for their input about the ones that will result in success for them either personally or professionally.
Externally, employees will notice a sense of surprise and fulfillment that drives the success for their personal and professional purposes. Employees tend to feel motivated about doing more tasks that help them achieve success in every area including family, job security, or any of their own goals. The ultimate goal is making employees thrive as professionals by satisfying both external demands like work goals while also realizing inner desires such as achieving financial progress or becoming self-sufficient outside of your job role.
4. Make sure your smart goals are attainable
Make sure that your goals are realistic and measurable. Don’t expect your employees to stay motivated by setting lofty goals that are hard to achieve with unrealistic expectations. Set realistic, attainable, and measurable goals. Make sure that people have a chance to achieve what they make their mind up about. For example, if you’re aiming for more in your career and wanting to manage more employees, break goals down by month and year so it becomes attainable step-by-step.
Attainability is extremely important when establishing personal or professional objectives or employee goals because it removes the possibility of failing up to a great extent. Job requirements should not exceed an employee’s capabilities nor cannot get any easier than what they have in their skill set currently.
5. Make sure all the smart goals have a specific deadline, metric, or target employees to ensure accountability & motivation
When setting goals, make sure that each goal is clearly defined. Goals need to have specific details about deadlines, means by which actual results are gauged (metrics/Targets), and how the objectives will benefit everyone involved in reaching it regardless of their particular roles or positions within a company.
The clearer you can be about the deadlines, metrics, and target employees, the greater chance people have in achieving the targets laid out by your goals and objectives. If you are not clear enough with what the goal is when they start, it may put the fear of failure in them which might slow down their progress as a whole. Clarity on deadlines can help employees in time management. Clarity on metrics will help employees in understanding on what basis will their performance reviews be done. Similarly clarity on target employees will clear which of the employees are targeted for the specific goal.
6. Always assess opportunities that come up along the way
Another plus point of smart goal-setting is that you can change or upgrade your goals when new opportunities arise. Continue to assess opportunities that come up with regards to reaching your goal. It might be a great plan if something unexpected happens and you can take advantage of it. You may be able to create different goals that may lead to better outcomes. What you should understand is that even if your specific goal was not achieved, it does not mean your overall objectives for the company are also defeated.
7. Make sure goals remain realistic in order from priority
Make sure, though the Smart Goals are considered to be detailed and urgent, they still retain realistic priorities. They must not make impossible assumptions that will turn out to be another goal that doesn’t stand a chance of being achieved if it is unrealistic in any way.
Don’t overestimate your goals but make sure you don’t underestimate them as well! Usually at first when individuals set smart goals they often can feel overwhelmed by where to start, what to focus on, or how much time will it take? The extension in between smart and old school timelines can seem painstakingly slow if you’re not careful.
