SMART Goals Don't Work

“Without goals, and clear plans to reach them,

?you are like a ship that has set sail with no destination.”

?Fitzhugh Dodson

The widely recognised SMART goals framework – Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound – is often touted as the gold standard for goal setting, including by myself. However, there's an increasing body of evidence suggesting that knowing and using the SMART acronym doesn't necessarily translate to effective goal setting or accomplishment. In reality, the success rate of SMART goals is disappointingly low. This failure can be attributed to a lack of follow-up mechanisms to ensure actions are taken and progress is tracked. It's time to evolve our approach from SMART goals to GREAT goals, a more comprehensive and actionable framework.

The Problem with SMART Goals

Lack of Correlation Between Knowing SMART and Writing Effective Goals

Many individuals and organisations know the SMART criteria. Workshops, seminars, and training sessions are dedicated to ingraining these principles. Despite this widespread knowledge, there is no significant correlation between knowing what SMART stands for and the ability to write and achieve effective goals. Simply put, understanding the acronym does not ensure that the goals set are practical or actionable. Indeed, even the acronym is being changed to different iterations on many occasions in an attempt to get more clarity and understanding.

Absence of Follow-Up and Accountability

Even when SMART goals are articulated clearly, the framework falls short in terms of follow-up. It lacks a built-in mechanism to ensure continuous action and accountability. Without ongoing monitoring and adaptation, even the most well-defined goals can falter. The initial burst of enthusiasm often wanes, and without a robust system to maintain momentum, progress stalls and goals are abandoned. There are also gaps in creating buy-in when setting goals for others, and little thought around creating ‘stretch’ goals or ‘breakthrough’ goals.

From SMART to GREAT

To address the shortcomings of SMART goals, I am proposing a shift to GREAT goals. This new framework focuses on a holistic approach to goal setting and achievement, emphasising the importance of planning, motivation, empathy, action, and tracking.

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Game-Plan: From X to Y by When

The first component of GREAT goals is the game-plan. This involves clearly defining the current state (X), the desired outcome (Y), and the timeline for achieving it. This clarity ensures that everyone involved understands the direction and expectations, providing a solid foundation for action. When setting personal goals, it gives this same clarity and it also allows you to look at setting a goal that is achievable, or a ‘stretch’ goal that is out of reach but not out of touch, or even a ‘breakthrough’ goal that goes beyond what you think might be possible. The action plan and tracking will cheer the progress toward these goals.

Reason: Motivation Behind the Goal

Understanding the 'why' behind a goal is crucial. The reason component delves into the motivation driving the goal. This could be personal fulfilment, organisational growth, or community impact. A strong, compelling reason acts as a powerful motivator, sustaining effort and commitment even when challenges arise.

Empathy: Genuine Understanding and Excitement

Empathy involves fostering genuine understanding and excitement about the goal in either yourself or others. It requires considering the perspectives and feelings of all stakeholders. When people feel heard and valued, their engagement and enthusiasm increase, making them more likely to contribute effectively towards the goal. You cannot dictate empathy for others; You can however create an environment that builds trust, understanding and that inspires empathy.

Action Plan: Specific Actions and Lead Measures

A well-defined action plan is essential for achieving goals. This includes identifying lead measures – the critical few actions that will drive significant progress, that will be done over and over again, with clear owners and specific dates and times. Alongside these, the action plan should outline one-off tasks and again assign specific dates and owners for each action. The list of one-off tasks is likely to increase continually during the lifespan of the goal and will quite often contain that vital first step. Lead measures may also change over time if not working, or new lead measures are identified along the journey. This structured approach ensures that everyone knows what needs to be done and when, promoting accountability and sustained effort.

Trackable: Monitoring Progress and Adapting

Finally, the trackable component ensures that progress is continuously monitored. This involves setting up systems that are timely, and regular, to track what is working that we want to do more of or continue doing. What isn't working that we want to stop doing, and what could be improved or be even better if. With ‘stretch’ goals and ‘breakthrough’ goals this tracking ensures that you are cheering the progress made along the way and this will lead to results that are exponentially better rather than disillusionment. Regular reviews and adjustments keep the goal on track, allowing for course corrections, celebrations and maintaining momentum towards success.

Conclusion: Embrace GREAT Goals for Impactful Success

While SMART goals have their merits, they often fall short in practice due to a lack of follow-up and accountability. To create successful and impactful goals, we need to move from SMART to GREAT. GREAT goals provide a comprehensive framework that addresses the planning, motivation, empathy, actions, and tracking necessary for achieving meaningful outcomes. By adopting GREAT goals, individuals and organisations can set themselves up for greater success and sustained achievement.