Goal Setting -Turning Ambition into Accomplishment
Goal setting is something talked about endlessly within the coaching community, in business we call them targets. In our personal life they might be called ambitions or dreams, we might even be manifesting them, but in essence it’s all the same thing.
We don’t start on an expedition without a map and a compass and you wouldn’t start a long car journey without putting the destination in to the sat nav. Yet, so often in our lives there is dissatisfaction and frustration; in business, within ourselves and in our relationships. This happens when our ambitions are not clearly defined…and a route planned and agreed in advance.
Having spent a little time mountaineering in areas of the Himalayas where there was no map, planning the route was somewhat more challenging, but still, local knowledge and common sense could be applied to ensure that our route saw us camping below the moraine fields. When the rocks started falling in the night, we were a safe distance away. Had we just applied the plan of walking as far as we could each day, I might not be here to write this article. A little time spent route planning pays well!
In business we often tell our teams that we only care about the results that they drive, but is this really true?
Have we sent them out into uncharted territory, relying on their common sense and observational skills, or is there a clear rote map that we would like them to follow?
If there is a route map that we wanted them to follow, did we give it to them?
Are there actions that are not in line with company values, what if someone goes off in a direction that you hadn’t even considered?
After all Columbus was named Governor of the Indies. He was convinced that his voyage was a pathfinder mission to find a westward passage to to the Indies. His objective was to avoid pirates and most importantly tariffs, by finding a new route to India, Japan, China and the Spice Islands.
The “discovery” of America was somewhat accidental. Although it yielded riches for Columbus and the Spanish court, it cannot be said that he delivered on the stated aim of the voyage. As part of his journey he also killed huge numbers of people with European diseases, subjugated Native populations, engaged in slavery and was known for his tyrannical rule of the Spanish settlers, all while demanding 10% of the profits made from his found lands. He was far from the ideal employee and he certainly did not deliver on the original target!
When things are going well and we’re chasing success, the steps to our goals and targets come easily to us. Scope for misalignment is often limited. If, like Columbus, you are making profits and delivering against the ultimate objective; failure to deliver the exact task requested can often be overlooked. Equally, your team might set off from Spain aiming for Japan and head off via the Artic, is that an issue for you? Is it an unsustainable drain on time and resources if the journey now requires the boat to be upgraded to an ice breaker?
When we feel frustrations in pursuit of our goals it is often one of three things;
We are staring at the map, there is no route plan, nothing moves
We hit some bad weather, the steps that we have planned are no longer possible, inertia hits or we are swept off course
We didn’t have a specific route planned and now there’s a mutiny because there’s nowhere to stop for snacks!
Worst of all, there can be an instance where the goal really was to head to the target and nobody has checked the course for a while.
Over time we creep further and further off course, sometimes, like Columbus we are delivering something of value, so the journey continues. This is often the case in people who set out to make a living and follow the job opportunities as they come. We can end up in a positive position, but not necessarily where we wanted be, or in the environment that we had intended.
In business this can result in dilution of the business mission, or brand dilution over time. Let’s not forget, it can also open up a whole new world of opportunity, literally in the case of Columbus.
There is potential to check alignment and get back on course at any stage of the journey. We should also be checking in on a route plan if we have one, to make sure that key objectives are kept front of mind and that behaviours that we expect (of ourself and others) are equally clearly delineated.
Many of us are familiar with this type of goal setting and checking in process in elite sport, or in fitness but it’s equally important for any other important goal.
If you would like some help setting goals, and clarifying those pesky route markers along the way, take a look at our free goal setting template. It’s a basic download that will have you covered for setting a SMART goal, but also planning out the first steps that will bring it to life. We’ve also included a Worst Case Scenario Action Plan, so that you can be ready for when the storm hits, ensuring that you are ready for whatever comes.
Halse Coaching offer coaching, training and mentoring around alignment for high performing individuals and their organisations.
If this is something you would like to explore, reach out for a free discovery call to help you create the world you want to live and work in.
