In two of my previous posts I elaborated on limitations I see with setting “SMART” goals. Visit the above links for suggestions on how to avoid these pitfalls (and learn how to truly set smart goals).
Then, read on here for part 3 (of 3) Got your blinders on? The “S” in setting “S.M.A.R.T.” goals stands for “Specific”. At first it would seem that setting Specific goals is a very good idea. It gives you a chance to clearly know when you have reached a goal and it is time to celebrate (Yay!). However, I would caution you from setting your goals too narrowly, risking that they don’t make sense when you consider a broader view, currently or over time. To explain, let me start by giving you a business example: When Ford released the Pinto in early 1980's. They were super focused on delivering this car at a record setting time-to-market, and they did! The only problem was that they lost track of other important aspects of putting a car on the market, like safety.... They were so focused on hitting the “time to market” date that they made decisions that compromised the safety of the car. It did not end well… deaths (!), lawsuits and recalls. If they had kept an eye on the broader needs and been willing to adjust their plan based on changing circumstances (failed tests) this could have been avoided. Next, let me share an example of when I recently set a goal with my “blinders on”: This past June I just completed the delivery of a six-week “pilot” program. I was very excited about how it all turned out, including the great feedback and the positive impact it apparently had in the lives of the participants. I was very very very inspired ;) and I decided to set my next goal as: "Starting next program series early September". How perfect, I would help my clients kick off, on purpose, into the fall season! ASPIRATIONAL? Yes, indeed. Inspiring and something I would feel very good about achieving. RELEVANT (to my bigger vision)? YES, perfectly in line with where I want to take my business, working with people one-on-one as well as in groups. CONTEXTUAL? Njaa… not so much. What I was NOT considering at the time was that during the couple of months leading up to the program start I had plenty other things “on my plate”. Other important (and mostly wonderful) things that I had already committed to for the summer; spending time with family and friends back in Europe, fixing the pipe leak in the garden (yikes), and getting my son settled and ready for College – to name a few. So, here we are, in late October. Considering all the preparation I need to do to prepare for an excellent program and considering other priorities in my life, I have now set a more realistic goal (for which I am still stoked!): Deliver my program during the first quarter of 2017. In summary, what I learned was that setting very specific goals that do NOT take the bigger picture in consideration will actually NOT set me up for success… To truly set SMART goals, I suggest that they also need to be CONTEXTUAL. For each of your goals, consider: · How might my goals need to be adjusted based on what else is important in my life right now? · How might my goals need to be adjusted to incorporate new experiences/knowledge and keep pointing me toward what is actually my desired outcome? Go ahead, aim high! And then, add a pinch of realism and you will truly go far.
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AuthorAs a Holistic Time Management coach Ulrika reflects on ways to live our every day on purpose - with agility. Archives
June 2018
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