Ready, Set, GOAL! How to Set Goals for Success
Do you daydream about ways to achieve greater success? Do you find yourself thinking about increasing your performance, being recognized by your peers, or earning that promotion you’ve always wanted? Not sure how to get started?
It's time to set your goals! Goals can help you align your focus and improve your level of personal and professional success. To learn more about how ELSNER helps employees set goals and to explore tips for setting some of your own, read on:
What’s it like setting goals at ELSNER?
At the beginning of each year, employees engage in an interactive goal-setting process. They meet one-on-one with their supervisor to learn about the goals being assigned to them for the upcoming year. The meeting allows for employees to offer feedback and discuss with their supervisor what resources they might need to achieve their defined objectives. We pride ourselves on working with our employees to set them up for success and find there are many benefits to participating in the goal-setting process. Check out these benefits:
Setting goals motivates employees, measures success and leads to better rewards.
With clear directives, employees can understand expectations and how those expectations can earn them better rewards. Goals are tied to an employee’s year-end performance review where the success is measured. Those reviews serve as a chance for employees to share with their supervisor their accomplishments and how they contributed to overall company success to earn a better year-end raise.
Goals prioritize work and improve time management skills.
ELSNER has been growing by leaps and bounds over the past several years. While exciting, it can sometimes feel overwhelming to keep up with increased demands. Defined goals can help everyone prioritize. Setting deadlines for goals also helps define how much time can be spent focusing on one area before having to move onto the next.
Goals can help strengthen decision-making skills.
One of ELSNER’s Core Values is to have an Empowered Workforce. We believe in each other’s talents and have trust in one another to make decisions. Once a goal is set, we’re confident that our team members will find the best processes and solutions to produce the desired outcome – with resources available as-needed, of course!
How can you set your own goals?
Here are our top 8 suggestions for setting goals to help you achieve success.
1. Make them specific. Your goals should be SMART:
Specific: What exactly needs to be accomplished?
Measurable: How will you know when you have succeeded?
Achievable: Do you have the resources you need to achieve the goal?
Relevant: Is your goal meaningful? Will it have a positive impact?
Time-based: What is the deadline for reaching your goal? When will you begin taking action?
2. Write them down. A Harvard Business study revealed amazing statistics related to goal setting and success. The study went on to find that 83% of the population does not have goals. Fourteen percent have a plan in mind but are unwritten goals. Only 3% have goals written down. Can you imagine now successful you would be if you were part of that 3%?!
3. Visualize your goals. Visualizing your goals can teach your brain to help you recognize what resources you may need to achieve them. It can also create an inner motivation to strive for your goals and promote positive thinking.
4. Use “I am” instead of “I will.” Saying, “I am going to set 5 goals,” creates immediate action and a commitment to yourself. Saying, “I will set 5 goals,” implies you have all the time in the world. The time is now!
5. Answer the “why” behind your goals. Your goals should have meaning and purpose. Do you connect to them? Do they inspire you? If not, you might want to dig a little deeper.
6. Celebrate wins regularly. Sometimes it's the little things that add up to big things. Have you ever had the satisfaction of crossing an item off a long to-do list? Your goals may be lofty and probably should be (that’s what makes them so rewarding). However, they can sometimes feel unattainable over long periods of time. Make them incremental and celebrate each time you hit a milestone.
7. Get support. You don’t have to go in it alone. Consult with friends, family, colleagues, mentors, or professional networks for support. There are many resources out there than can provide helpful tips and tricks.
8. Be flexible and keep an open mind. The world around us is constantly changing, so it’s likely your goals will too. Hint: If you followed suggestion #5, your goals might change, but your purpose probably won’t.
If there’s one thing you take from this article, take action! Don’t wait for the perfect moment that may never come. Set your goals today. If you do, you’ll be one step closer to achieving them!