S.M.A.R.T.

S.M.A.R.T. is an acronym for

  • Specific
  • Measurable
  • Achievable
  • Relevant
  • Timely

S – SPECIFIC

A goal should be precisely defined, and mustn’t be vague or ambiguous. Make it as precise as possible:

  • Who needs to be involved, in order to achieve this goal?
  • How can you encourage this person to collaborate?
  • What do you want to achieve? And how will you know that the objective has been achieved?
  • When do you want to achieve my goal? What is the exact due date, and why?
  • Which capabilities are needed? And which challenges do you need to overcome?
  • Why should you achieve the goal?
  • Where do you want to achieve your goal? (An answer to this question isn’t always necessary.)

 

M – MEASURABLE

Goals need to be measurable. Hence, you need to decide about the metrics you want to use for measuring your objectives.

  • How can you measure progress?
  • And how do you know if you’ve successfully met your goal?

 

A – ACHIEVABLE

You should be able to achieve your goal within the given time frame. Don’t neglect the encouraging aspect of reaching a goal.

An objective can be ambitious, but keep in mind that not achieving your goal can damage your motivation. Hence, it makes sense to link it with your abilities and competencies.

If you think that you can’t achieve a certain goal, think about your missing skills.

  • Are you capable of achieving the goal?
  • Do you have the needed skills? If you don’t, how can you acquire them?

 

R – RELEVANT

A SMART goal should have a direct influence on your overall business goals. If there is no connection between them, consider reviewing the goal again. Chances are that it isn’t relevant enough, so you should aim for something else.

  • Why should you achieve this goal?
  • What is the impact of achieving the goal?
  • How does the goal relate to your overall team and company goals?

 

T – TIMELY

It’s important to determine a due date for each of your SMART goals. You need to derive suitable tasks, which will help you reach a certain goal. To determine the due date of the overall SMART goal, you need to sum up the estimated time it will take to finish all of the derived tasks.

  • What tasks need to be finished to achieve the goal?
  • How long does it take to finish these tasks?
  • When is the due date for your goal?
  • Can the goal be achieved before this date?

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