What do you do if your boss's goals and objectives seem unattainable?

Your boss's goals and objectives seem unattainable, so you can not inform them directly that it is impossible. You need to prepare presentation details explaining why it is not possible. Communicate the work contents, calculations, average productivity rates of team members, and available resources for achieving the goals. You need to prove and convince management that it is impossible so they can revisit the goals and objectives, and adjustments will be made to attain them. You must ask for help and guidance to achieve your goals. Encourage and motivate the team members to focus on goals with a positive mindset for the organization's growth.

If your boss's goals seem unattainable, take time to write out the goals, the steps you need to attain them, and the time, resources, and personnel available. The more you are able to quantify and qualify specifics, the more productive your conversation can be with your boss. I once listed out the 25 tasks and projects my boss had assigned me and the steps needed for each. By laying out her requests visually, she was able to see that she needed to prioritize which tasks were the most important because I couldn't work on 25 items at once. Having a visual and concrete information equips you to have a productive conversation to adjust either the expectations or the support.

Start by asking questions. What exactly does your boss want to see as an outcome? By when do they want to see this? With what kind of support?

Unrealistic goals often stem from overly optimistic projections, a lack of understanding of the actual work involved, or prioritizing optics over operational realities. Rather than inspiring higher performance, unattainable goals breed frustration, corner-cutting, and a culture of under-promising and over-delivering just to meet expectations. Over the years I have tried to navigate this by finding the balance between striving for ambitious goals while being authentic to myself and the team on what is achievable. It's critical to have candid conversations on the facts regarding resources, time, and support throughout the organization to attain the goals.

If your boss's goals appear unattainable, initiate an open dialogue to discuss feasibility and potential adjustments. Offer insights into potential challenges and propose realistic solutions or alternative strategies to align goals with achievable outcomes. Collaborate with your boss to set clear priorities and milestones, ensuring a balanced approach that maintains motivation and fosters success.

Your boss may have set a goal without the full picture of what you'd need to do to accomplish it, which is why open dialogue is critical. I remember a time when my boss was impatient with my lack of progress on a big initiative. He assumed I could handle it on my own. What he didn't know was that I could not implement the changes without our Legal department's involvement. To ensure my manager had the full picture, I invited my Legal partner to join me in the conversation. Together, the three of us had a healthy conversation and came to an understanding of how the project would move forward.

This happens often when leading a sales team. The company needs a certain amount of business to meet objectives and sometimes it can feel unachievable. I often tell my team “if you felt the targets were achievable, what would you be doing, once they articulate, I say “then let’s go do that.” .

When goals set by your boss seem out of reach (as Sales Leaders, I think we have all been there too, right?), initiating an open dialogue is crucial. Approach the conversation with a constructive attitude, showing your dedication to the company's objectives while voicing your concerns about the feasibility of these goals. Listen actively to your boss's rationale, aiming for a conversation of mutual understanding. This communication may prompt a closer examination of the goals, leading to adjustments that align with both the company's ambitions and your capacity to contribute effectively. Lastly, know the details, but understand the bigger picture and why goals have been set the way they have in the first place.

Bosses may set stiff goals, even seemingly unattainable ones, oftentimes to create a sensational and jarring effect on an easygoing organisation. Another reason is that targets which are easy are not fashionable enough! Furthermore, a stiff target may already have a built-in allowance of failure, which may not be revealed down the line! Lastly, human effort is highly elastic, and who knows even the stiffest goals may not be challenging enough. So, don’t worry, just roll up your sleeves and get going with the best intent!

To overcome unattainable goals, it's crucial to approach the situation with a proactive mindset. Schedule a meeting with your boss to discuss your concerns and seek clarification. Collaborate with your team to brainstorm ideas and strategies. Prioritize and strategize goals based on their importance and feasibility. Manage expectations by discussing adjusting goals or setting realistic expectations. Seek support from colleagues, mentors, or HR professionals if needed. Focus on progress and celebrate small wins, even if they seem challenging. Remember that challenges and ambitious goals are opportunities for growth and development.

You are part of your boss's team, so work together like a team to come up with solutions. You should be willing to negotiate with them about what is realistic and achievable. Try to really understand the imperative behind each deliverable and why the deadline matters. You can collectively try to develop a joint delivery plan that enables you to manage the work, achieve outcomes, and meet your boss's demands (who will also be under his/her own pressure to hit targets).

Given your questions in assessing the reality and the open dialogue, rather ask the boss how the goals can be adjusted to suit priorities and the support needed. What part of the goal is essential (must-have versus nice-to-have) and what could be dropped in order to make the goal attainable?

Assess the resources, including time, budget, and manpower, needed to achieve the goals. Work with your boss to prioritize initiatives and allocate resources effectively to ensure that efforts are focused on the most critical objectives.

No one not even a Boss for that matter would appreciate the conversation when you just go with the problem, rather have couple of possible solutions and outcomes put forth for his suggestion and discussion. Accept multiple roles within the organization to ensure there is enough ground for collaboration - across Business Units.

Often, greatness is achieved by aiming for the unachievable. Go for it, while recognising there is no shame in falling slightly short of a really ambitious goal.

Have an honest conversation with them. Rather than "attacking" their goals and saying they won't work, learn the WHY behind them. From there, try to use your influence and proper examples to demonstrate how they can be tweaked to be more attainable. Your goals drive your workload, organization's trajectory, and end-of-year outcomes—do your best to amicably fight for them.

Introduce the concept of breaking down large goals into smaller, more manageable tasks. For instance, when faced with seemingly unattainable sales targets, I proposed dividing them into monthly milestones. By breaking the goal into smaller chunks, it became less overwhelming for the team and allowed for incremental progress tracking. This approach not only made the overall objective feel more achievable but also provided regular opportunities for celebrating successes along the way, boosting morale and motivation.

It's essential to communicate openly with them. Discuss any concerns you have about the feasibility of the goals, present any challenges or obstacles you foresee, and suggest possible alternatives or adjustments. It's crucial to approach the conversation with a constructive mindset, focusing on finding solutions rather than just highlighting problems. Additionally, consider collaborating with your colleagues to brainstorm ideas and strategies for achieving the goals together.

Speak to them! Discuss expectations - theirs and yours. Tension arises when expectations havent been expressed clearly. It may be that you are assuming some aspects of what they are expecting. Take the time to speak with them, to make sure you understand their goals, objectives and the role you play in that.

Facing unattainable goals from your boss, assess the situation's reality and prepare data to support your view. Openly discuss these challenges, proposing feasible adjustments to align expectations with capabilities. Engage your team for support and alternative solutions, focusing on achievable growth opportunities. Throughout, maintain a positive outlook, emphasizing constructive feedback and collaborative problem-solving. This approach promotes a realistic yet optimistic pathway to redefining goals and enhancing team cohesion.

When you've done all that's possible, find solace in knowing you've managed expectations to the best of your ability. It's crucial to document these processes and involve one other neutral party so they can witness and, if necessary, assist during calibration.

Share your perspective with your boss in a constructive manner. Express any concerns you have about the feasibility or attainability of the goals, providing evidence or examples to support your viewpoint. Offer alternative suggestions or adjustments that you believe would make the goals more realistic or achievable.