Does Your Staff Or You Follow Through With Your Goals?
Goals are easy to set; the trick is to carry through with them. Does anyone remember those things called “New Year’s Resolutions?”
If you are like many individuals, those resolutions are not kept. But let us talk about setting goals in the work environment. Joe Weintraub a professor of management and organizational behavior at Babson College in Wellesley, MA., states it is common for workers to set goals at evaluation review time. After working with many of those performing reviews or listening to those responsible for providing reviews, this proves to be very true of workers. At the time of the review goals are set and promises are made. Everyone is excited, full of energy and ready to give it “their all.” However all of this ends when the individual walks out the door. The same thing happens to us when we set out own goals.
Why aren’t some goals carried through or obtained? That’s easy - there is no follow-up on those goals. We get busy! Our lives become so “busy” that we forget about the goals, or worse, we begin to think or say “I don’t have the time, I’ll do it later.” (Moments gone can never be recovered and used as they were intended.) We rely on our memory to remind us of our goals, not to mention the million others things we want to remember. Many times we think that we are loosing our minds or memories as we think we can’t remember things anymore. Our minds or memory are not the problem. The problem is we operate our brains on “over-load,” thinking, “I’ll remember,” but don’t. No wonder our goals “fall by the wayside.”
What is one to do? After you buy stock in the company that makes “sticky notes,” stick up reminders everywhere to remind you or your staff of their goals. This may sound childish or silly, but it does work. Professor Weintraub uses this method when he works with others setting goals. They write a couple of the same goals on three pieces of paper and puts each of them in 3 self-addressed, stamped envelopes. Two weeks after setting the goals and the person leaves, Professor Weintraub sends them the first envelope to remind them of their goals, to be followed four weeks later with the second and four weeks after that the final one. We all need to be reminded, so write down your goals or remind your staff of their goals they have set.
Short-term goals are much easier to keep, as there are instant rewards, quick results that may not need reminders. Many of us receive “instant gratification” as we check off items on our “daily to-do list.” Yes, these are goals – things to be accomplished. So what about the long term goals that are set by our staff or ourselves? Besides the reminders we need, we need to break down the long-term goals in to goals requiring less time. So the next time your staff members or you sit down to write out your “one-year, five-year and ten year goals”, break them into smaller, obtainable goals. A better way to illustrate this is to think of your favorite pie or cake. You don’t shove the whole thing in your mouth at once, as you will not only make a big mess, but will waste much of it. But if you take a bite at a time, not only will you finish the pie or cake, but won’t waste any of the pie or cake and will be able to enjoy every mouthful – what a great reward. You need to plan (write) out how you are going to obtain these goals and determine the best way to remind yourself of the goals.
If your staff members or you are still having problems in keeping and obtaining your goals, call us at Personal Development Group and inquire about our Coaching or Mentoring Services. These services are intended to assist the individual in becoming successful and living a more productive and happy life. Contact us at (715) 573-2583 or email us at kdm105@pcpros.net.
Quote of The Month
“In absence of clearly defined goals, we become strangely loyal to performing daily acts of trivia.”
- Unknown
