Goal Setting
Learning to Work Efficiently and
Effectively
Introduction


Goal setting is a formal process during which
you define targets that you plan to achieve.
When you set goals, you commit to outcomes
that you can accomplish personally or through
your team.
Goal setting creates a long term vision for your
chapter, and provides the motivation to get you
there. It has the additional benefit of helping you
decide how you want to focus your resources and
spend your time.
Why Do We Set Goals

By setting goals and measuring their
achievement you can:
– Focus on what is most important to accomplish on a
daily,weekly, and annual basis
– Provide a unified direction for your team
– Achieve more and devote less energy to noncritical
tasks
– Motivate your team and boost its overall job
satisfaction
Short Term and Long Term
Goals

Goals differ in terms of time frame and
importance. Short-term goals are
achievable within one or two months,
long-term goals are achievable over the
course of several months or even years.
This topic focuses mainly on long term
goals.
Types of Goals

In terms of importance, goals generally fall into
one of the following categories:
 Critical – These goals are crucial to your chapter.
They must be accomplished in order for your chapter
to continue running successfully.
 Solutions-Oriented – These goals create a more
desirable condition or take advantage of a opportunity.
They are important, but fill a long-term, rather than
immediate need.
 Nice to have – These goals make improvements that
enhance your chapter. They usually relate to making
activities faster or easier.
How Goals Are Set


As a leader, you are responsible for setting
chapter and individual goals. You also need to
work with your team members to develop their
individual goals.
The two most common methods of goal setting
are top-down and bottom-up.
 Top-down goal setting: Leadership sets broad goals,
and each subordinate sets goals to support those of the
Leadership.
 Bottom-up goal setting: Subordinate develop
individual goals and the Leadership integrates them
into larger goals.
Which Way Is Better?

In either case, it works best when those
responsible for achieving the goals are
involved in the goal-setting process. This
increases the buy-in and spreads the
accountability.
What Makes Goals Effective?




Goals are your roadmap, so they must be clear
and easy to understand. Effective goals:
Are written down in specific terms, have time
frames, and are measurable.
Yield a payoff that you value. You must buy into
the goal; otherwise, you will lose your
motivation when you hit obstacles.
Are driven by organizational strategy and
direction, and are important to the organization.
Are achievable but challenging, and provide
room for growth.
Steps for Setting Goals
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Identify potential goals.
Prioritize and select your goals.
Write your goals down.
Plan how you will achieve your goals.
Pursue your goals, monitoring progress
along the way.
Evaluate the goals.
Identify Potential Goals
Once or twice a year, review your
chapter’s diverse activities and your team’s
roles, looking for possible high-value
goals.
 Include relevant members, chapters, and
advisors in the goal setting process.
 Do not worry about constraints or
execution. Just brainstorm goal ideas.
See article “What is Problem Solving”

Prioritize and select your goals


Identify criteria for prioritizing your goals. For
example, which goals will contribute the most
growth?
Review your list of goals and use your criteria to
rank them as A-, B-, or C- level priority. Add the
ranking to the goal.
 Priority A: Those goals having high value and primary
concern
 Priority B: Those goals having medium value and
secondary importance.
 Priority C: Those goals having little value and little
importance.
Prioritize and select your goals
(Continued)
Break your Priority B goals into Priority A
or Priority C. They are either worth your
time or not. The goals that are now on
your Priority A list are your final goals.
 Review your Priority A goals separately
and rank them according to importance.
 Goals on the Priority C list can either be
delegated, put on the back burner, or
discarded.

Write your goals down





Create a detailed, written description of each
goal, using the SMART criteria as a guideline.
Specific. You can describe the details.
Measurable. You can measure the goal using
either quantitative or qualitative assessments.
Achievable. You can achieve the goal.
Realistic. The goal is realistic given existing
constraints, such as time and resources.
Timebound. You must achieve the goal within a
specified time frame.
Plan how you will achieve your
goals




Identify the key projects that will help you
achieve each goal.
Determine which projects need to be completed
sequentially, and put those in order. If there are
projects that can be completed simultaneously,
incorporate them into your plan accordingly.
For each key project, describe measurable results
or outcomes.
Determine what resources (money, people, tools)
are needed to carry out each project.
Plan how you will achieve your
goals (Continued)



Establish a time frame for the completion of each
project. Include a start and finish date.
Set up milestones along the way to review
project completion and overall impact. Make
sure to include what you expect to achieve by
each milestone.
Consider the potential obstacles that might
confront each goal and its associated projects.
Then, map out possible solutions for each
obstacle.
Pursue your goals, monitoring
progress along the way





Work from your own daily and weekly
schedules, and from your team’s overall workplan.
Make clear your expectations, level of input, and
time frame for each project.
As you reach milestones, reviewing upcoming
projects and required resources.
Check off completed projects as they occur.
As you progress, update everyone involved in
achieving goals.
Evaluate the goals




Step back periodically and assess whether your
goals are still realistic, timely, and relevant.
If reaching any of the goals no longer creates
value, revise it. However, be sure to get buy-in
from your team and leadership.
When you feel you have reached your goal,
confirm that others agree that the goal has been
accomplished and the impact achieved.
Identify what was successful and what you
would change in the future. Record both!
Evaluate the goals (Continued)
Evaluate the payoff. If the payoff did not
meet your expectations, determine whether
you over estimated the goal’s impact.
 Identify issues you need to address in the
future.
 Communicate your lessons learned to
everyone involved.

Tips for Setting Goals





Keep a running list of possible goals to consider
when brainstorming your goal list.
Make sure that your goals fit into your
leadership’s and organization’s goals.
Keep goals SMART!
Write your goals down and keep the list visible.
Combine tasks from different goals where
possible.
Tools
Goal Development Chart
 SMART Goal Checklist
 Goal and Task Chart
 Success Factors Chart
 Obstacles/Solutions Chart
 Goal Evaluation Checklist

Contacts

Gary La Bruyere
Assistance Executive Officer
Idaho DeMolay
PO BOX 51651
Idaho Falls, ID 83405
208-526-5081 wk
208-522-2965 hm
xagidaho@cs.com