Setting goals significantly increases the chances of getting things done. The reason for this is that goal setting makes our brain focus on what is important to us. We notice opportunities and threats that are related to our goals and are less distracted by other things. Not any goal will have the same effect though. Goals that deliver results are concrete, actionable, strategic and relevant, i.e. aligned with the existing circumstances, needs and ambitions. To formulate such goals and the related actions, thinking time is essential as well as the quality of the thinking.
Concrete actionable goals
The first success factor of an effective goal is how tangible the goal is. Generally formulated abstract goals – “I want to increase revenue”, “I want to be a better people manager”, or “I want to reduce stress” – are not or only slightly effective. The reason for this is that with an abstract goal our brain is less clear on what it is that is important to us and therefor what it should look for. A concrete and actionable goal, where it is clear what we want and what is required to achieve it, is what our brain needs to do its job effectively. An Example of such goal would be the following.
“I want to diversify the services we provide to each of our top X clients, by adding at least one other service to our current offering within the next 6 months, through efforts tailored to each client comprising (i) client visits in the coming 3 months with colleagues from other departments and/or jurisdictions, selected on the basis of their work for other clients with similar activities, and (ii) organising a round table in 4 months on a basis of the current market developments Y for which we have been developing solutions relevant to these clients.”
Strategic goals aligned with the existing circumstances, needs and ambitions
The second important factor that makes a goal effective is the quality of the information used to formulate the goal and actions. The quality and effectiveness of a goal is dependent on (a) having considered all relevant circumstances, including the market conditions and demands and what the needs and strategic priorities of the business are or should be, and (b) having explored what the available options, threats and required resources are to meet the desired results. On the basis of an overview of (a) and (b), it can be determined which of the available options would best serve the business. This option would then be the goal to be pursued.
Coaching – set aside time for high-quality thinking
Investing 1.5 to 2 hours every few weeks in high-quality thinking with a coach will pay off. The pressures of the day-to-day business can result in prioritizing what is urgent over what is important or in any event not being able to tell the difference between the two. A coach ensures that enough time is spent on what’s important and on making sure that the related goals are set and accomplished.
In order to set an effective and relevant goal, we need to actively search our brain to gather all the relevant information and to paint a picture of all available options, threats and required resources. Only after having done that, the best option can be picked, the goal can be formulated and the actions and timelines can be set. This takes focused and high-quality thinking. The quality of the outcome of this process substantially increases if another person is dedicated to your cause and is asking you questions to trigger fresh thinking and to invite you to take the less trodden path. This is what a coach does and why coaching forms a valuable part of the success of any leader.