Working The Plan

What Is A "Good" Goal?

"If you aim at nothing, you'll hit it every time." ~ Anonymous

There is no greater tool for improving the performance of your organization than setting well-thought-out goals - it's one of the most effective communication tools for leadership. And we're not just talking about your senior leaders - EVERYONE in your organization needs to understand how to set effective goals.

To be effective, a goal must include:

• A description, expressed as a vital few objective (VFO) - such as "Grow Sales"
• A measure - that indicates how to track progress - such as "Revenue Growth per Existing Customers"
• A target - that quantifies the measure - such as "10% increase"
• A responsible person - that is accountable for progress and achieving the goal
• A target start and end date - indicating the deadline for starting and achieving the goal

 Our Six Disciplines business coaches show you exactly how to formulate goals and initiatives that lead people to take action that's aligned with what's most important to your organization. You'll use the Six Disciplines software to maintain and measure progress against these goals, making the results available immediately and transparently throughout your company.

After multiple planning cycles, you and all the leaders in your organization (everyone) will become more skilled at goal setting, and you'll begin to understand the ramifications (rewards and consequences) of the goals that are set. Every planning cycle leads to more clarity in goal setting, and better individual and organizational performance.