S M A R T GOALS & EXCELLENCE
NOTE: Try to see this You tube video to get confused about the concept of REALISTIC GOALS.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w6dpTcCCVYQ
I believe that there is no great clarity for many people ( espcially MBAs) realistic understanding of REALISTIC GOALS . This is effecting their Goal setting and finally Performance.
Let me make an attempt in this blog to clarify.. why, what and how of SMART goals
Purpose of this blog is not to push or suggest any body to SET DIFFICULT goals and make their lives miserable if they feel so . It is their choice to make themselves so. And I take NO responsibility for this misfortune. But purpose here for me is to make clear what is the meaning by S M A R T Goals and how to set them RIGHT ,,,, and how they affect the performance.
Objective of this blog is..
What is meant by Goal setting ?
How many types of goals of are there ?
What are the misunderstandings related to Goal setting ( GS) ?
How TWO process ( 1) Goal setting is different from ( 2) Goal achievement.(GA) .
What is the relationship if at all between these two concepts.. ?
In my view.......
POINT - 1:
There are
NO ' Realistic ' or 'Unrealistic ' goals.( What I feel is the word R E A L is UN REAL. TRUTH is ABSOLUTE.. not R EAL word.. )
Further, there are
NO ' Difficult ' or 'Easy ' goals.
Further, There are
NO ' Achievable ' or '
UN achievable ' goals. This categorization of goals is
W R O N G... It is only misunderstanding to say so... My advice is try to AVOID using these concepts when you talk about SMART goals.. OK..
BUT..
POINT - 2:
There are ' High ' ( Example.... getting 99 out of 100 marks - market leader ) , ' Average ' ( getting 60 out of 100 marks - Market follower ), Low' ( 30 out of 100 Marks ) goals. The concept of Low / Medium / Average is more clearer concept than realistic / difficult / achievable concept of goals . OK.
There is no / cannot / little confusion about the concept of
Low - Average - High goals. Because these are fact based concepts ( marks are numbers ) . No body can dispute what is High / Medium / Low goals.
There is clear definition for High / Medium / Low goals. Even small child and a worker can tell which is high / medium/low goal..OK..
At the same time, REALISTIC / EASY / ACHIEVABLE GOALS ARE CONFUSING, DO NOT MEAN the same TO EVERY BODY.. THEY ARE DIFFERENT to DIFFERENT PEOPLE. They speak DIFFIDENCE of and lack of confidence of individuals.
What is realistic to somebody turns out to be unrealistic, difficult, and non achievable for somebody else . It is NOT fact.. but it is a FEELING ..
Caution: Dont use the concepts / Jargaon .. Realistic / Difficult goals while you talk to others. Always avoid to use them.. OK.
Caution: Always use the terms -
High, Average, and Low goals
Two things ONE must keep in mind while .. Setting Goals ! !
Point 1
First and foremost principle: Set High Goals../ Dont set low and average goals..
This is the wisdom one need to imbibe. Goals that are set should never be LOW. How high the goals one set is left to oneself..But they must be high and high only .
Principle - TWO : Aftter setting HIGH goals.... Then one should start thinking on
how to make those goals ACHIEVABLE - What is needed to make such high goals REALISTIC, What else needed to be done so make them to achieve EASY, and POSSIBLE.
Please note that these two process ( GS and GA) are in a particular sequence.. First comes Goal Setting and then followed by Goal realisation. These processes should not be REVERSED...
Try to avoid to start thinking of - whether the goals that are going to be set are realistic or not .. This spoil and ruin the Goal Setting process..
Invariably set the goals first.. and then ( later on.. due course ) start thinking of how to achieve such and such goals that are set.. . .
- These TWO things are TWO separate things ( 1) Setting goals and ( 2) Making them realistic..
- Both are intensely related. but their relationship is sequential..
Read this statement - Set ' Realistic Goals'; Set Achievable goals
Note that these statements are 100 % WRONG... Shun these statements. Dont use this concepts for your good.. It is because there are NO Realistic Goals for some body to set..There are only Low - Average - High goals..
Always Say .......
SET High / Difficult Goals.. and Start making such goals Achievable and Realistic.. OK.
POINT - 2:
Ones goal setting is over..... then it start thinking of how to make the goals that are set achievable , and realistic
Here the Indian Innovation concept i.e., J U G A D effect comes in ...
J U G A D : Indians way of Innovation D E F Y I N G so called R E S O U R C E S..!
POINT - 3:
Performance Excellence =
Setting HIGH goals x Working towards making the HIGH Goals achievable.
Performance is product of these TWO things.. if any one element goes wrong...., total performance also goes wrong. Excellence is where both the terms in the above equation are highest.
JUDGING SMART GOALS ? C R I T E R I A
- SMART Goals must INSPIRE
- SMART Goal achievement must lead to MATERIAL BENEFIT.. Goal achievement is ... Not Value Erosion but Net Economic Value Creation ..
- SMART Goals are there to realize and enhance the P O T E N T I A L...
-
- SMART Goals MUST NOT CONTRADICT each other themselves.
Relationship of certain concepts related to Goal Setting and Achievement
A. Historical Performance
B. Goal Set
C.Goal Achieved ( Performance )
D. Potential
E. Realistic Goal Setting
F. Realistic Goal achievement
Appropriate Relationships of the above components is :
E Realistic Goal Setting ( B > A > C )
F. Realistic Goal Achievement ( C < B > A )
G. Excellent in Management is .. E and F......both the conditions are V A L I D..
* Purpose of Goal setting and Goal realization process is
Just NOT the ACHIEVEMENT OF CERTAIN PERFORMANCE..
but ...
.......REALIZING
the U L T I M A T E H U M A N P O T E N T I A L
and reaching to E X C E L L E N C E !
E and F both together will lead to realizing the potential (D) ..
