Menu:

Tips: Objectives

Objective setting is the foundation for individual and team success.  It creates motivation and engagement.  The first step in the process of performance management is to establish objectives that are measureable.  These objectives state how the performance of team members is to be measured to assess progress throughout the performance year.

SMART Objectives

All objectives should be able to meet the following criteria:

Specific

Identify the precise and significant outcome of an activity or task in a clearly defined manner.  This avoids conflict and confusion later on in the performance review cycle

Measurable

There has to be a form of measurement in the objective which is meaningful and motivational to give team members and managers a clear indication to know if the objectives were met or not.  To increase the clarity objectives are best written in quantifiable terms using specific numbers or percentages.

Achievable

Is the objective actually achievable and possible?  Remember that these should be reasonable given the market conditions, resources available, level and position.

Relevant

Does the objective meet the long-term result of the larger objectives of the business?  They should be written as a tangible result or deliverable that the team member will produce. E.g. increase production.

Time Bound

Clearly state when the objective will be achieved.  Using targeted project milestones and due dates help team members and managers monitor progress.  This allows for corrections during the performance year and enables team members and managers understand the accountability to the overall department goal.

Aligned Objectives

A few basic questions a Team Member can ask to ensure their objectives are aligned to their manager’s business goals:

 

Objective Formula

A useful mnemonic when creating objectives is:

Action word + key result + target date + conditions

 

Examples of SMART Objectives

Description

Measure

Find European partners for our new product range

Identify at least two partners who will sell £1M of our product by fiscal year end

Ensure all team members have had training needs identified in line with their performance objectives

Completion of development plans for all team members by 31st December each year

Develop and deliver a complete product plan for x that defines departmental strategy, implementation steps and timescales.

By end of 2nd financial quarter all product managers will have been communicated the plan

Close an average of 14 customer support calls per week

Customer satisfaction will increase in the survey produced yearly and the backlog of customer calls will decrease by <4 per week average