Leadership Skills

Setting Goals

We have all stated goals that we never reached, and that is because we did not articulate those goals well. If you want to reach your goal, it must be well stated, measurable, and realistic. For example, how will you know when you reach your goal? Will there be a number that signifies attainment? (Numbers are easy to measure.) We will use a system that is known as SMART goals.

SMART Goals

SMART stands for specific, measurable, attainable, relevent, and time-based. By setting SMART goals, you will have a clearly stated goal, and you will know when the goal has been realized.

Specific

State clearly the who, what, where, and when for the goal. It may also help if you include why the goal is important.

Measurable

How will you know when the goal has been reached? Try to answer the questions such as how many, how often, or how much. Remember that numbers are the easiest to measure, but this could also be completion of a degree, certificate, or training. It could be a specific activity or performance.

Attainable

Your goal should be one that you can reach. The goal must be something that you can do and have the power to do. Unless you have the ability to reach the goal, you are planning failure from the onset. If your goal is to be innovative, then you should go for it. For example, being able to fly is highly unlikely, but creating a new way to levitate may be possible.

Relevant

How does this goal relate to your career or personal interests? Setting a goal on a whimsy may be easy and fun, but focus on the goals that will have the most impact on your future.

Time-based

When will you begin and end this goal? Time-based means putting parameters around it so that it may be accomplished. Setting a goal that is based in the distant future will not likely be reached.

SMART Goal Template

Here is a document to help you set your SMART goals.