Developing S.M.A.R.T. Goals

S	Specific	Clearly and simply state the expected outcome by addressing the “5 W’s”:· Who is involved?· What is to be accomplished (current state/behaviors vs. the desired outcome)?· Where?· By When?· Why is it important to do this (the purpose/benefit of accomplishing the goal)? Is linked to Departmental/priorities and/or individual key areas of responsibility (essential functions). Use action verbs to help describe expectations (see list).
M	Measurable	How will you know the goal has been successfully met? How will performance be measured? Include numeric or descriptive measures that define:· Quantity· Quality· Cost· Efficiencies· Due date (cycles or a set project deadline)· Observable actions
A	Achievable	Identify goals which can actually be accomplished and at the same time stretch the individual so they feel slightly challenged. Does the employee possess the necessary knowledge, skills, and abilities needed to achieve the goal?
R	Realistic	Goals that you have the resources to accomplish (e.g. skills, funding, equipment, time, staff).
T	Time-defined	Identify the necessary completion date or frequency to be maintained to ensure the required outcome. What is the earliest, achievable/realistic, the date for the goal to be started and completed?

Examples of “S.M.A.R.T.” Goals

Original Goal	Revised S.M.A.R.T. Goal
Organize department processes.	Document key department processes and procedures. Review with supervisor and then distribute for internal use by end of the current review period.
Continue with professional Development.	Attend a class on time management in the next six months and share the information learned at a team meeting. Apply, on an ongoing basis, at least one skill that was learned.
Create a system to track grants.	Create a system to track international grants so the information can be sorted and reported on initially by source, date, and amount. A system to be completed by the end of March.
Ensure lab safety.	Put in place, documented, safety training for new staff, to be offered within a few days of their hire. Ensure that annual safety training is provided for all lab staff as required throughout the year.
Fix database.	Identify issues with current database and prioritize based on operational need and time spent to resolve. Rework database to resolve issues, test changes, and launch new database within the next six months. Review enhancements two months after implementation.
Improve budget and expense statement processing.	Reconcile budget and expense statements within a week of receipt from Finance Office.
Order supplies for the office.	Check supply inventory bi-weekly and re-order as needed to avoid shortages.
Timely snow removal.	Remove snow from and salt/sand walkways and building entrances at the start of each shift.
Improve attendance.	Arrive promptly by the start of shift each work day to eliminate tardiness. Arrive at work each day on time and ready to begin work.
Expand menu choices.	Research, test and evaluate three new vegetarian entrees each semester for the coming academic year.
Track department audiovisual resources.	Design and implement the use of a spreadsheet to track loan of departmental audiovisual resources for use by the beginning of the calendar year.
Effectively supervise staff.	Hold weekly team meetings to review work, address concerns, share ideas, and pass along relevant information from attendance at managers meetings. Guide staff to successfully achieve their goals through monthly 1:1 meetings in which goals are reviewed, progress is noted, and feedback is provided.

What is a goal?

A goal is a desired result or possible outcome that a person or a system envisions, plans and commits to achieve: a personal or organizational desired end-point in some sort of assumed development. Many people or organizations endeavour to reach goals within a finite time by setting deadlines.
It is roughly similar to purpose or aim, the anticipated result which guides reaction, or an end, which is an object, either a physical object or an abstract object, that has intrinsic value.

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Why is goal setting important?

Goals help achieve success. People tend to maintain expectations, not surpass them. Thus, expectations or goals should be challenging, yet within a person’s or group’s grasp. Goals are outside an individual and sometimes referred to as “hoped for” rewards toward which motives are directed. Goals create common tasks and processes for a group or individuals. By having them, a group knows what it has to do and can work together on the goals.

goal setting can:

• serve as clear and specific delegations of responsibilities
• offer more diversity of services and programs by updating and improving old programs and developing new ones
• identify both individual and organizational strengths and weaknesses
• allow clarification and/or development of an organization’s mission or philosophy
• focus our efforts in a consistent direction
• increase success because success can be defending as the achievement of a goal
• serve as self-motivators and energizers

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Goal Setting Tips for Success

•Clarity:

 A clear goal and specific goal can be measured. It should leave no room for misunderstanding. Goals should be explicit regarding what behaviour is desired and should paint a picture of what successful completion looks like. Visualize the desired outcome!

•Commitment:

 For goals to be effective, ideally, they are mutually agreeable between the supervisor and employee. Of course, the goal should be in line with expectations you have for the employee. This approach gives the employee the opportunity to share their hopes and ideas for future performance and growth.

•Resources: 

Working with others to identify the resources and collaboration that may be needed to achieve one’s goals is essential to success.

•Feedback:

Ongoing, regular, check-ins is a chance to correct/coach or clarify before the goal has been reached. The employee may have questions, operational needs may shift, and/or the employee is in process of going about things the wrong way. Open, two-way, communication is essential!

•Challenge:

 Most employees are motivated by a challenge! When possible, a goal should offer the opportunity for growth, or a “stretch” in response, and may even be inspirational, arising out of the values and interests of the department and/or organization. Whatever the level of challenge the goal should be achievable.

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The Three Major Types of Goals

Performance Goals:

Answer the questions:
What needs to be accomplished or addressed this year (e.g. project, problem, process, task,
innovation, efficiency, improvement in a related behaviour)?
What are the most critical tasks and activities that the employee is responsible for in his/her
day-to-day role?
Does the work at hand need to…?
•increase something (output, effectiveness, funding)
•provide something (service, training, research)
•improve something (efficiency, level of effort, communication, customer service)
•decrease something (inefficiency, redundancy; expenses)
•save something (time or resources)
What…
•skills and behaviours are needed to lead to success?
•steps are necessary to complete the goal?
•resources, tools, skills, and support are needed?
•challenges/obstacles might be faced?

Professional Growth and Development Goals:

(i.e., increase depth of knowledge or skills) and may help prepare for a new or future role.
Answer the questions:
What skills or behaviours does the employee need to gain or build on to stay current or grow in their
current role?
What sort of knowledge or experience is needed to advance or move into another role?
Discuss with the employee…
•Is there is a gap between the skills and experience needed for the employee to be even more
effective in their current role? What steps can the employee take to fill that gap?
•What skills and knowledge can I develop to help address future needs or challenges of the
department?
•How can I use my talents/interests to a greater degree in my current role?
•What would make work even more satisfying for me?
Professional growth and development activities do not always pertain to training. Additional
examples include:
•Working as a part of a team on a department project or initiative.
•Participating on a College committee.
•Giving a presentation about a project to co-workers, another department on campus, or at a
professional conference.
•Providing training to co-workers on a topic or skill that you have mastered.
•Leading a team/department discussion about a current work project or relevant topic.
•Connecting with groups in the community that focus on skill development – for example,
Toastmasters is a non-profit organization that focuses on the improvement of communication,
public speaking and leadership skills.

Organizational Goals:

 These are goals set by a department, division, or by the College for the upcoming year that is a statement about a desired future direction and describes what the organization is trying to accomplish. This allows those responsible for setting that direction to develop a common understanding. Goals may be strategic (making a broad statement of where the organization wishes to be at some future point) or tactical (defining specific short-term results for departments within the organization). Goals serve as an internal source of motivation and commitment and provide a guide to action.

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How does one develop effective goals?

Think about the future. If you are developing group goals, try to think of at least two ways to describe the future through the group’s or members’ tasks or purposes. Use your organization’s purpose statement. A purpose defines what the goals need to be and then these goals can be adjusted each year. By being open to feedback, one can get new ideas for goals. The extent that individuals and groups perceive their own goals as being satisfied by the accomplishment of organizational goals is the degree of integration of goals.

process for brainstorming goals:

• Allow ideas to start goals.
• Members should begin to talk about what they would like the group to accomplish.
• Let every member take part in the brainstorming. This is important for morale and cohesion. Also, members are more likely to support what they help to create.
• Unrealistic goals should not be weeded out until later.
• When finalizing the goals, make sure that they are measurable.

after brainstorming, prioritize the goals:

• Place goals in order of importance. This can be difficult because each member has individual ideas of what is important for the group.
• Have members rank the goals on their own and then share their ideas with the group to reach consensus.
• Break into small groups to prioritize goals concerning different segments of the organization.
• After goal setting, develop plans to achieve the goals so they are more than nice words.

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