How do you set and communicate SMART operational goals?

I've actually talked about SMART operational goals on my PowerThinking Wednesday resilience training calls. They have been essential in helping me lead teams that met and exceeded goals in just about every job assignment.

In my experience, great SMART goals come from the measurable and time-bound discipline. When done well, good SMART goals with the right emphasis on these two components bring the right amount of rigor to ensure the realistic and achievable aspects of any goal are not just fluff. It's best to regularly audit the output of these goals and recalibrate.

A common trap I see in creating SMART goals in misunderstanding vision with objectives. Being the best company is a vision... A poor one but a vision nonetheless. Being a Company who sets an objective to be recognized as one of the top companies for employee experience based on X, Y, and Z is an objective. Which can then be used to create a SMART goal.

I believe that the most important aspect of SMART goals is ensuring that they are specific. Being specific helps us to narrow our focus and get it done.

Using the SMART correctly will ensure that the team can identify the gaps or shortcomings in the current situation and plan to remedy them.

Communications is so important! I tended to ensure that all employees received information at the same time via email and meetings (virtual and in person); that included the entire employee base.

The beginning of the process is to first recognize the Operational Facilities Capacity. Once Capacity is determined, goals and objectives are more easily established along with appropriate measurement and performance processes being put into place.

It is also essential to get the team buy in and acceptance. Otherwise, this will be another document to sit in the shelf. This buy in will require more than simple communication to achieve.

These are great points. Unfortunately, many leaders fail to realize the power of leadership as well as all employees alignment. Communicating SMART goals helps us to meet and even exceed objectives.

The major takeaway is not only the power of having SMART goals, but the critical importance of the communication of those goals that ensures total alignment.

This is great start. I think that this article needs more detail on how to use the SMART approach into operational goals planning. By using case studies or examples, you could have helped the reader greatly.