June 2000 Issue

Summer -- time to relax, take a break, and do nothing...right? Well, summer may be here, but many Phi Theta Kappans are busy setting goals and planning for the fall term. Don’t get left behind!

Goals don’t just “happen.” The members of your organization or team must sit down together and set the goals you want to achieve. Editors of the Lifescope web site point out that there are several steps to plotting where you want to go: A) Discover where your organization currently stands; B) Decide where you want to be, how you prefer to get there, and when you’d like to arrive; and C) Map out the obstacles and conditions you must deal with on each phase of the journey.

To chart your mission, your team must determine what accomplishments would lead to your vision. An organization that has well-defined goals is more likely to achieve success. A group that shares a vision can go far.

Allowing team members to participate in goal-setting is the focus of the article, “Workshops in Goal Setting,” in Unit Three of the Phi Theta Kappa Leadership Development Studies text. William B. Werther, Jr. points out that members of the organization are more likely to be supportive of goals they actually helped set. Participation creates a sense of ownership and a feeling of common destiny among those who help set the goals. Also, group wisdom can help eliminate impractical ideas.

Werther also recommends that goal-setting sessions produce goals that are SMART (simple, measurable, accountable, realistic and timely.)

Simple:
Complex goals are harder to communicate. As Werther points out, “Clear, simple, specific goals give people an unmistakable vision of what needs to be done.”

Measurable:
If a goal cannot be measured, it is often difficult to determine when it has been achieved. Establish how progress will be determined.

Accountable:
Although accountability may be shared by team members, the successful accomplishment of goals often depends on a specific individual being held accountable for each goal. Accountability adds a sense of urgency and purpose to the goal. Team members are more likely to do a good job if they know they will be held accountable for the results.

Realistic:
Consider whether or not you have the resources to make each goal a reality. Goals need to be meaningful to your team members. Goals without meaning are often considered unrealistic.

Timely:
Checkpoints and deadlines should be established for achieving goals. A timeline for completing tasks can help make the goal more action-oriented. Placing a specific completion time on a project and assigning individual accountability may lead to a more proactive approach to achieving objectives.

Finally, the purpose of goal-setting actually goes beyond identifying the goals your organization wishes to achieve. As Werther explains, “The process used to decide priorities and targets should leave the group enthused and committed. The involvement of others taps their ideas and creativity, which is more likely to spark the attainment of smart objectives.”