Hello there! Get Monica's 5 Secrets That Grew This Blog to 2500+ Subscribers below! Enter your email address:
Image Source: Asmunder via FlickR
The SMART method is used by many companies to help their employees define goals that are actually useful. SMART is an acronym for the five characteristics of a good goal. Here is what the letters stand for:
Specific - The goal must be well-defined. A goal is specific if it includes details like where, when, and how. This characteristic is hard to measure because a goal can always be more specific. The best way to cover this characteristic is to be as specific as possible in your goals using the other characteristics outlined below.Measurable - The goal must have an end in sight. This is the stopping point to say when the goal is considered “reached.”Attainable - The goal must be something the individual or team can achieve. A goal is attainable when the big-picture “how” question is answeredRealistic - Essentially the question of ”Can we attain the goal in the given time-frame,” though I consider this more of a litmus test. Consider the talents and time of the individual/team to determine how realistic the goal actually is.Time-Based - The goal must have a reasonable deadline to complete within.
Companies benefit from this method of creating goals because they have a way to judge your performance over a period of time. Completing goals using the SMART method also gives employees a sense of ownership over their work, making them more likely to work hard to achieve the goals. The company I worked for previously promoted SMART Goals and I still use the technique today when creating project plans and timelines for deadlines I need to hit.
Have you used this method of creating goals before? Are you going to give it a try now that you’ve read this? Please feel free to leave your thoughts in the comments section below.
Further Reading: SMART Goals , SMART Goals Examples
Tagged as:
Goals ,
SMART Method
Monica O'Brien is the Director of Digital at Fizz and author of the book Social Pollination, which helps businesses leverage social media for crazy growth!
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
Thanks for your sharing, it is very useful to learn and apply it to my real time work.
With best regards,
Vu Lai Tung
Monica,
SMART Goals are actually derived from SMART Requirements, which I published a series on a while ago. You can find the series here.
PS: “Attainable” is sometimes substituted with “Achievable”.
{ 1 trackback }