What is my KRA?

It's better late than never that I ask myself: What is my personal KRA?

In the corporate world, we are all too familiar with the term KRA (Key Result Areas). As professionals, we regularly set SMART goals—Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound—aligned with the objectives of our organizations. Our performance reviews, promotions, and recognition often depend on how well we meet these KRAs. Yet, how often do we stop and ask ourselves: What is my personal KRA?

This is a vital question. While we carefully plan and structure our work life around company goals, we rarely apply the same focus and discipline to our personal lives. Shouldn't we also set clear KRAs for our own personal growth, happiness, and fulfillment?

The Corporate KRA vs. The Personal KRA

KRAs in the corporate setting give direction, providing a framework to assess progress and a path to achieve business objectives. However, our personal lives often do not receive the same level of attention.

Many professionals excel at defining and achieving work-related KRAs but neglect to create personal goals. The demands of a career, the pressure to perform, and the constant push for advancement often overshadow personal aspirations. Yet, your career is just one part of your life. By focusing equally on personal growth, you can achieve greater fulfilment and a more balanced life.

The Missing Link: Personal KRAs

While many of us spend hours meticulously planning our professional goals, we rarely dedicate the same energy to charting out our personal journeys. This lack of attention can lead to unfulfillment, even as we climb the corporate ladder. The concept of personal KRAs bridges this gap, encouraging us to apply the same rigor in our personal lives as we do in our careers.

Identifying Personal KRA

Recognizing that personal growth is as important as professional growth is the first step. Just as your employer sets goals for your professional development, it is essential to set goals for your personal life. These goals should cover all aspects: relationships, personal development, health, and overall well-being.

Here’s how to identify and define your personal KRAs:

1. Self-Reflection: Take time to reflect on your values and passions. What brings you joy? What do you want to achieve outside of work? These insights are crucial for setting meaningful personal goals.

2. Define Your Life Goals: Just as you set work-related goals, break down what you want to accomplish in life. Consider your objectives for the next year or the next five years. These could be related to family, education, health, or hobbies you've neglected.

3. Prioritize Well-being: Make health and well-being non-negotiable in your personal KRAs. Often, in pursuit of professional success, health takes a backseat, but it's the foundation for all achievements, both personal and professional.

4. Continual Learning and Growth: As professional development is a vital part of corporate KRAs, personal growth is just as essential. Set goals for learning new skills, expanding your knowledge, or challenging yourself in areas you haven’t explored.

5. Work-Life Harmony: Aim for harmony between your personal and professional life. This isn't about work-life balance alone but about integrating both in a way that ensures neither aspect is neglected.

Why Personal KRAs Matter

1. Empowerment: You take charge of your life, aligning your goals with your own vision rather than just your company’s.

2. Clarity: Clear goals simplify decision-making, reduce distractions, and sharpen focus.

3. Balance: Properly planned life goals create a healthier work-life balance.

4. Life Beyond Work: It reminds you that success is more than just career achievements.

5. Holistic Growth: Promotes growth across all aspects—personal, emotional, and professional.

6. Purpose: Aligns daily actions with long-term life goals, providing clear direction.

7. Better Decisions: A structured framework helps you make choices that support your life’s objectives.

8. Work-Life Harmony: Helps integrate personal and professional goals, reducing conflict.

Crafting Your Personal KRAs

To develop personal KRAs, follow these steps:

1. Self-Reflection: Contemplate your values, passions, and long-term dreams.

2. Life Domains: Identify key areas of your life—health, relationships, personal growth, finances, community involvement—and set specific goals for each.

3. Long-Term Vision: Envision your life in 5, 10, or 20 years. What does success look like to you across different life domains?

4. SMART Goal Setting: Translate your vision into SMART goals for each area, ensuring your goals are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound.

5. Regular Review: As you would with professional goals, regularly review and adjust your personal KRAs to ensure they stay relevant and inspiring.

Integrating Personal and Professional KRAs

The real power of personal KRAs lies in integrating them with professional ones. Here’s how to create synergy:

1. Seek Alignment: Look for opportunities at work that align with personal KRAs. For example, if personal growth is a focus, seek projects that challenge and expand your skills.

2. Communicate with Your Manager: Share your personal development goals with your manager. Many organizations value employees who take initiative in their growth and may provide resources to support you.

3. Leverage Skills Across Domains: Skills developed for personal KRAs can often enhance professional performance and vice versa. Recognize and leverage these crossovers.

4. Balance and Boundaries: Use personal KRAs as a guide to maintain healthy boundaries between work and life, ensuring neither is neglected.

The Road Ahead: Be Your Own Life Manager

Just as you manage your professional growth, you must take charge of your personal development. Set personal KRAs that align with your values, passions, and long-term vision. Regularly assess your progress, adjust your goals as needed, and hold yourself accountable for both personal and professional growth.

Ultimately, success isn’t just about achieving career milestones—it’s about building a life that reflects your deepest values and aspirations. Your personal KRAs are the compass that guides you on this journey. Take control of both aspects of your life, and you’ll find a more balanced and fulfilling path ahead.

In my view "Balancing both personal and professional realms is crucial, for it is at the intersection of personal growth and professional success that true fulfillment lies."        

So, it’s time to ask yourself: What is my KRA?