Setting ambitious goals for a team or organization motivates people to perform and serves as a guide for leaders to invest the time, resources, and energy necessary to achieve them. Stretch goals, as they are often called, push team members to reach their highest potential. In many cases, even when the team doesn’t achieve what they set out to, results are amplified, and real progress is made.
I utilize the S.M.A.R.T. goal model. I was introduced to this by a Store Leader. It was once I completed a certificate with University of Denver (DU), that I began to further explore this technique. I have taken and/or taught this approach to multiple team members I have worked with. I also use the one percent better each day approach (Clear, 2018) for goal setting and tracking performance.
Regarding ambition, I used to be very wary of it. Yesterday, I was reading some of Steven Pressfield's work. In the early chapters he makes a compelling case for being ambitious (Pressfield, 2012). As someone who shares a similar experience (regarding the example given), we learned that pursuing a better life is not disrespecting our brothers and sisters. It is merely wanting a better life. To do this we need a bit of ambition. That is if we wish to find out who we are really meant to be. I think people do not realize (myself at one time) that a Big Hairy Audacious Goal (BHAG) tends to take at least a decade (Collins, 2002). If one is not willing to stick around for at least that time, they would be best to proceed with caution. Perhaps just keep their mouth shut.
Yeah you make a good point. Big crazy goals more often than not lead to guilt and shame. Which of course, are not very useful to say the least lol.
More people could be talking about this, and maybe then more people wouldn’t needlessly struggle so much.
Good morning,
I utilize the S.M.A.R.T. goal model. I was introduced to this by a Store Leader. It was once I completed a certificate with University of Denver (DU), that I began to further explore this technique. I have taken and/or taught this approach to multiple team members I have worked with. I also use the one percent better each day approach (Clear, 2018) for goal setting and tracking performance.
Regarding ambition, I used to be very wary of it. Yesterday, I was reading some of Steven Pressfield's work. In the early chapters he makes a compelling case for being ambitious (Pressfield, 2012). As someone who shares a similar experience (regarding the example given), we learned that pursuing a better life is not disrespecting our brothers and sisters. It is merely wanting a better life. To do this we need a bit of ambition. That is if we wish to find out who we are really meant to be. I think people do not realize (myself at one time) that a Big Hairy Audacious Goal (BHAG) tends to take at least a decade (Collins, 2002). If one is not willing to stick around for at least that time, they would be best to proceed with caution. Perhaps just keep their mouth shut.
Thank you for your time.