Setting Goals With Staff

"To be able to ask a question clearly is two-thirds of the way to getting it answered."
–John Ruskin

SETTING GOALS WITH STAFF

In his book, The Greatest Management Principle in the World (New York:  Berkeley Books, 1985), Michael LeBoeuf offers the following advice:

"Good management always starts with solid, specific, written goals.  Sit down with each person (or group if it's a group goal) and decide, in no uncertain terms, what key results he is to achieve by a certain date.  To help people set good goals, follow these guidelines:

*  Their goals should help you achieve your goals and should contribute to the achievement of company goals.  Show them your goals, the company's goals, and ask, 'How can you help?'

*  Be sure their goals are stated in terms of results to be achieved, not activities to be performed.  For example, making more phone calls is an activity.  Increasing sales revenue by 20 percent in the next six months is a result.

*  State goals briefly and write them down.  This helps increase clarity and commitment.

*  When you can, let people set their own goals.  Self-set goals are more meaningful.  But if people want you to set goals for them, do it.  What matters most is that you both understand what has to be done.

*  Set only a few goals for each person or group and rank them in order of importance.  More than two or three goals end up becoming no goals.

*  Check goals for compatibility, so that the achievement of one does not preclude achieving another.

*  Goals that are challenging but attainable get the best performance.  Encourage people to choose battles big enough to matter but small enough to win.

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