Goals are essential in business, and in life. It’s a widely accepted belief that setting a goal provides you with the opportunity to set your course. Without a goal you’ll wander aimlessly. So, goals are good. The trick is to set the goal at the highest point where every decision is a direct response to that goal.
Too often business leaders move the goal without realizing it. The results are pretty damaging. Moving the goal can lead to low morale, high turnover, quality issues, and deficient outcomes. What does that look like? When a leader shares a goal with their team and then says, ‘and do it this way’ they have moved the goal to ‘do it my way.’ The focus moves to the how, not the what.
That is really a control thing. Control is all about mistrust. When we trust our team members, we work with them to find the best way to reach our goal. If we don’t trust them, we feel we need to direct them and keep control over every aspect of the process. The team feels that control and can disconnect from any real commitment to working toward the goal. They’ll go through the motions, and ‘punch the clock’ but they won’t have a vested interest in seeing the goal achieved.
While process and procedure is important, there are times when the team should work together to identify the best, most effective way to get something done. That creates buy-in and commitment.
When you set a goal, share it with everyone consistently. And work with your team to create a plan and strategy to reach that goal. Think about what you really want and why it matters. Share that information and solicit ideas. When people understand the importance of the goal, and are included in creating the strategy, they feel valued. They want to see success.
Always ask yourself what you really want; what really matters. Then work toward that goal. If you really want control, you can have it. However, that control might not lead to long term success. If you want to reach your business goals, keep your goalposts in sight. Don’t move them or change the goal to doing things your way. There are usually different paths to the same outcome. And if the goal is really gaining the outcome you seek then how that happens is less important than just getting it done. This takes a level of self-awareness and confidence. The rewards are great! Your team will want to succeed, your goals will be met, and your company will thrive. What more could you ask for?
©2022 Helbig Enterprises
