Nothing can happen in an organization unless we plan for it. Establishing clear objectives and having achievable plans presupposes a reasonable organizational mission of where the company wants to be in the future. Based on that mission, an organization sets its goals and objectives to meet each of the goals.
A team must be in agreement that there are shared goals that need to be met and be able to identify with the shared vision that needs to be achieved. Once agreement is reached and goals are understood, team members are better able to work together to achieve the required results. Both objectives and goals can turn a group of people to a team by helping them focus on a shared mission. Therefore, when establishing team objectives, there are certain steps that need to be considered.
The most recognized method for setting objectives is the SMART approach that describes that key characteristics of significant objectives.
In particular:
(S) Specific
Objectives must be specific. This means that objectives need to explicitly define the necessary steps to achieve the goal by being well-defined and detailed. If the objective is blurred the goal cannot be met. The objective needs to emphasize on the action required and communicate the required outcome. Any lack of clarity can lead in team disorientation and aiming off target.
The following questions are related to setting specific objectives:
• What are we going to do? This question helps setting an action-oriented objective, while focusing what’s most important.
• Why is this important for the organization?
• Who is going to implement the plan? This question helps setting the team members that will work on the goal.
• When do we want the plan to be completed?
• How are we going to achieve this? This question addresses the strategies that will be used.
(M) Measureable
Objectives must be measurable. This means that objectives need to be quantifiable to determine progress. If the team members are able to track the results of their actions as they progress towards achieving the objective, they can compare their results to their mission and manage their actions.
(A) Achievable
Objectives must be achievable. This means the objective needs to be feasible and viable to keep team members motivated to strive towards its achievement.
The following questions are related to setting achievable objectives:
• Are there any limitations and constraints?
• Do we have enough resources?
• Has anyone else achieved this?
• Is this possible?
(R) Realistic
Objectives must be realistic. This means an objective must be acknowledged as something the team can accomplish taking into consideration the available resources including skills, money and equipment to support the actions required to achieve the objective.
The following questions are related to setting realistic objectives:
• Do we have the resources available to achieve this objective?
• Do we need to change our priorities?
• Is it feasible to achieve this objective?
(T) Time-based
Objectives must be time-based. This means identifying deadlines for the achievement of the objective. Deadlines create a sense of urgency and motivate team members to execute their tasks in a timely manner. Besides, even if team members have met all the previous steps, they have to ensure that there is sufficient time to complete their tasks successfully.
When implementing the SMART approach for setting team objectives, managers are able to evaluate progress towards the goal. To ensure that team members stay focused on their objectives, managers need to monitor them on a regular basis and adjust their tasks on the changes of the environment. The business environment is dynamic and can change dramatically from one day to another. If this is the case for a particular organization, team objectives need to be revised and team actions need to be adjusted accordingly.
In any case, when choosing the SMART approach, managers have to make sure that all steps are followed. Leaving out any of the above steps may hinder the achievement of the team objective.
