Four Keys to Setting Goals to Achieve a Higher Level of Success

A new month, a new quarter, the second half of the year? is upon us, and with it comes a question - how are you doing on your yearly goals?

You know what I mean. It’s all too common—a leader sets a goal for their team, but they haven't quite achieved it yet. They may not have had the right process in place or the team was not truly committed to the goal, so the goal fell by the wayside. Or the goal was so ambitious that no one even bothered trying to achieve it. And then the leader watched as the team meandered around in circles for weeks, trying to figure out what they were supposed to do and why.

Goal-setting is important for a few reasons: it helps us determine where we want to be in the future; it gives us a sense of purpose; and it helps us measure our success along the way. But if we're not doing it right, our goals can easily become hollow or even counterproductive.

Here are four keys to setting goals that will help your team achieve a higher level of success:

Establish what success looks like for your team and ensure that everyone is aware of their role in achieving the goal.

Trying to achieve a goal without knowing what success looks like is like driving cross-country without a map: you might eventually get there, but it's going to be a lot harder than it needs to be. So take the time upfront to define what success looks like for your team's goals. Without that clear destination in mind, it’s easy to get sidetracked or give up entirely. This step is important not only because it will help everyone understand what they need to do, but also help build buy-in for any changes or new initiatives that need to be made in order to reach your goals. Is this a goal that will move the needle for the business? If your team understands the stakes and the goal, they will be more likely to help move the needle.

Let's say you're trying to increase sales by 20% over the course of three months. You would need to establish what success looks like for that goal, and make sure everyone on your team knows what they need to do in order to help achieve it. Perhaps you set a target number of sales that each team member needs to hit, or establish certain KPIs that everyone needs to meet. Whatever the case may be, establishing clear success criteria upfront will ensure that everyone is on the same page and working towards the same goal.

As you define success, you'll also want to think about how it will be measured. How will your team know if they've reached their goal? What are some of the key metrics that will help you determine your progress? Try creating a report or dashboard that shows those metrics so everyone knows what’s important and can track progress.

Now that you know what success looks like, the next step is to develop a plan to get there.?

This will involve setting specific milestones and tasks, as well as outlining who is responsible for each part of the process. Having a clear plan will help keep everyone on track and ensure that no important details are overlooked. It's also helpful to have regular check-ins along the way so that you can course-correct if necessary and celebrate progress when it's made.?

An effective plan helps you turn your big-picture vision for your business into tangible, measurable goals and objectives. Without a clear strategy in place, it can be difficult to make headway on your overarching objectives and achieve sustained growth. A well-crafted plan gives you a roadmap to follow as you work toward your long-term goal of growing the business. The process of creating this plan forces you to think critically about what success looks like for your business and how best to achieve it. It also allows you to identify potential roadblocks that could stand in the way of meeting your goals so that you can develop strategies for overcoming them. Assemble all this information into one document, and you have a powerful tool at your disposal for charting a course to sustained growth.

Ultimately, this plan should be a living document that you revisit and update as needed. You can use it to track progress toward your goals, communicate with employees about their responsibilities, and hold yourself accountable for hitting the milestones you've set. If something in the plan isn't working—whether it's a specific tactic or an entire strategy—you can adjust accordingly. Having a flexible approach will help ensure that you're always responding to what's happening within your company, rather than just following an outdated strategy.

Weave consistency into the DNA of the company

"You'll never change your life until you change something you do daily. The secret of your success is found in your daily routine."?

The above quote from John Maxwell is one of the most profound pieces of advice, and it transcends all areas of life, whether it be business, relationships or personal development. In fact, I would argue that your daily routine is the most important factor in determining your long-term success.

Here's why: consistency is key.

Success is a result of compound interest - which means that each day builds on the last and cumulatively leads to massive results over time. That’s why it’s important to have systems and routines in place that move you incrementally closer to your goal each day.?

We live in an age of instant gratification. We want everything right now, and we expect it to be easy. But this mindset can be incredibly detrimental to your goals and your success as a company.? It's not just about showing up—it's about showing up and putting in the work day after day, even when you don't feel like it.

When we commit to a goal, no matter what, we unlock a level of consistency that is unrivaled by any other strategy. We create habits and routines that allow us to show up every single day and put in the work—no matter what. We get the results we want—not because of some fleeting motivation or momentary enthusiasm, but because of our commitment to following through on our goals.

Celebrate progress along the way?

When people are working towards something, it's easy for them to get discouraged when they don't see immediate results. They may even feel like giving up if they don't see any progress at all. But if you can find ways to celebrate the small steps along the way, your team will be more motivated and more likely to achieve its goals.?

If we focus solely on reaching our end goal without celebrating each step along the way, we are missing out on opportunities for building momentum toward achieving success. By celebrating progress instead of focusing solely on our end goal, we can build a culture of success within our company that will help propel us forward toward achieving even bigger goals!

A leader who doesn't have a clear vision for what they want to achieve and how they plan to get there will not be able to meet their potential or succeed in the long term. The most important thing about goal setting is that it must be a collaborative process between all stakeholders. Leadership should also be intentional about creating a roadmap for actualizing the goal. The company's culture must also reflect consistency. Finally, there is the need to recognize that celebrating the milestones that lead to the end result helps build momentum and enthusiasm in your team.?

Let me hear from you -?

How are you doing on your yearly goals?

What and how are you celebrating your progress?

Dr. Rubina F. Malik is a scholar, strategic advisor, and a global learning and development expert. As a champion of mentoring, career sponsorship and leadership development, she helps organizations enhance the engagement, retention, and promotion of diverse candidates. Competitive edge-driving organizations from start-ups to Fortune 500 global brands depend on her support and expertise to propel programs such as mentoring, career sponsorship and leadership development. www.rubinafmalik.com?