This is Part 5 of my series on Employee Motivation
Goal Setting Theory
Yes, this one is our fault too. I can’t imagine anyone in the modern workplace that has not at least heard of goals. Chances are that you are sick of hearing about them and there’s a good reason you have been bombarded with goal-setting; it works! Research repeatedly demonstrates that individuals accomplish more with goals than without them. These work so consistently that we might be tempted to say that they work all the time. Since we are talking about human behavior, and you are reading a blog written by me, you should not be surprised to hear I have a few caveats to share. In fact, when goal setting goes wrong in organization, it usually has something to do with the next few points:
- Goals must be specific.
- “Do your best” goals don’t work.
- Specific goals should indicate the amount of performance and a deadline for that performance.
- Goals must be measurable.
- It is difficult to compare your goal-attainment progress if you can’t measure your progress.
- If your goals involve abstract concepts, find a way to estimate them.
- Goals must be attainable.
- Impossible goals are not motivating. We understand the difference from the possible and the impossible and will not bother with unrealistic goals.
- If a very large goal is necessary, take a “small-wins” approach and break the large, less attainable goals into smaller more attainable goals.
- Goals must be challenging.
- Easy goals are about as motivating as impossible goals (i.e. not at all).
- Establish goals that will stretch (not break) your capability.
Another point that I should mention has to do with the number of goals we should juggle at any given point in time. It is imperative to avoid “death-by-goal-setting” (less delicious than death-by-chocolate- if you like Futurama, you can probably think of one more “death-by” joke). Too many goals harm performance; at best they eliminate the advantages of goal-setting. Why is this the case? Well, it seems that goals motivate performance at least in part, by focusing our attention. Being human, we only have so much attention to go around. Research indicates that we can handle about seven (7) things at any given moment. Since we often have many other things to worry about (not stabbing ourselves with pens, or avoiding the M&M jar in the office kitchen), we should stick to about three (3) goals at any given time.
