GOAL SETTING
Goals are an important part of everyone's life. Whether you've tried to save up for your first car, or get your first promotion, or even check off a New Year's resolution, most everyone has tried to set a goal at some point of their life. However, the reality is that we often do not achieve the goals we set out for ourselves. Sometimes we lose motivation or interest and other times our goals just don't feel realistic or like they are within our reach. Understanding how to set smart and strategic goals can be the key between never reaching your goals and having goals that help you achieve you dreams and aspirations.
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Think through the following questions:
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Why do you think setting goals are important for your personal and professional life?
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Have you ever set a strategic goal before? Did you reach it? If so what helped you reach that goal and if not, what were some challenges you faced along the way?
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Are there currently big dreams you have that maybe you don't know how to achieve or where to start to achieve that dream?
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Many times people never achieve their goals because they don't set the right goals to begin. However, there are 5 criteria which can help you set SMART goals that will provide you the framework and structure you need to make the progress you want to see. Review the acronym for SMART goals (specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time bound). SMART goals are first specific and clear and help you identify your end goal. Next, they are measurable and can help you to quantify your results and define how success is measured. SMART goals are also challenging, but achievable. They are realistic to accomplish with the right amount of effort and drive. They also have to be relevant to you and your desires or the objectives of your team and business. Setting relevant goals will help you to stay motivated to complete your goals. Finally, SMART goals are time bound. They have a deadline which help you to stay on track while you pursue the goal. If you ensure your goals have all elements of a SMART goal, then you can create more clarity, focus, and motivation to achieve your goals and dreams.
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Think through the following questions:
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Which elements of SMART goals have you implemented before in your goal setting? Which elements of SMART goals is new to you? How can you begin to implement these criteria into your goal setting?
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What helps motivate you to achieve your goals (improving your life circumstances, money, career growth, etc.?) Who are the people who can hold you accountable for your goals moving forward (mentor, supervisor, family, friends, etc.)?
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What resources do you need to achieve your goals (people, financial, training, etc.)? Who can you work with to help you start gathering the right resources to achieve your goals?
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TAKE ACTION
Great goals are challenging! They need to have some level of risk and potential failure to be worthy of our time, energy, and efforts. Consequently, achieving your goals means finding self motivation, accountability, and the right resources. See if you can use the foundations of SMART goals to achieve some milestones and accomplishments over the next 30 days.
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PREPARATION - utilizing the principles of SMART goals, think through one goal that you would like to accomplish in the next 30 days. Use the "SMART Goal Guide" below in Additional Resources as a starting point. Your goal can be personal or work related, but just make sure it is specific, measurable, achievable, relevant to you now, and time bound (completable in the next 30 days).
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ACCOUNTABILITY - find a director or another leader in the business who you can share your goal. Ask them to challenge your goal using the criteria of SMART goals. See if you can refine your goal to something you feel like you can confidently and excitingly achieve in the next 30 days.
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RESOURCES - identify any resources you might need to achieve your goal in the next 30 days. Reach out to someone on the senior leadership team to see if there are any resources that Chick-fil-A could provide you to help you reach your goal.
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CHARACTERISTICS OF MASTERY
Is able to use​ SMART goals criteria to set strategic goals both personally and professionally; stays motivated and perseveres to accomplish goals; can break down larger goals into smaller goals that can be more easily accomplished and help the process of achieving larger goals; sets goals that are relevant to the team and business; is able to identify and gather resources necessary to accomplish their goals.
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ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
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