Which Goal-Setting Process Would You Use?
Based upon the level of experience and motivation of your staff, would your goal-setting process for the team be top down, bottom up, or neither? Why?
Given my personality, my goal setting would be top bottom. Because I am responsible for the department outcome then I would be very involved in our goal setting for the company. Monitoring our process and make sure we are on track. I also like to apply a monitoring process for goal set for my personal life.
Janet,
yes, in this situation the bottom up goals can be great as long as they know the direction of the organization as a whole.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
I would say Bottom-Up since I work with self directed employees. Each person has specific job duties and responsibilities and know their jobs well but still need unit and individual goals.
In education and teaching both goal settings can serve an institute quite well. A top down goal setting calls for the Dean/Chairman to determine general goals which the faculty members must meet and achieve them. A bottom up setting call for the faculty member to be creative and educate themselves on better teaching techniques that will make teaching more challenging and enjoyable for the students.
I prefer bottom up goal setting. If the people who are to carry out the plan have not been involved in the planning they will not work very hard to achieve the plan. They must have full buy in and there is no better way then setting the goals, or most of them, themselves.
I have used the SMART system for several years now and I find that it is the most straight forward results a person could ask for. I have tried to skip a part or to only to go back and pick it up again.
Details are Details and you just can't skip over them. Especially if you want to grow a business.
We do use top down and bottom up when it is called for. When a lot of folks think they are self starters and demonstrate differently top down is better. I do prefer the bottom up self motivated and fast learner.
Lynn,
this is a great illustration of finding the right fit for each situation & how you can help ease the process somewhat for your team.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
As director of an educational program in one campus of a multi-campus corporate owned school, I believe that top down goal setting method best fits in achieving overall goals of the company. More importantly, since company goals change on a frequent basis, my team feels that my establishing goals and assigning tasks eases the process when goals must be changed mid-stream. Thus I am able to keep the team motivated toward achieving goals in an everchanging environment.
Christopher,
yes, this is a good approach & it works well when we know the top level goals.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
I prefer both. I like to set top-down goals for general business sales. THen bottom up for me personally.
Zillery,
the top down method can be effective when we make sure to understand & then articulate the why to those we lead.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
I am at a college where I must utilize a top down system. It allows me to make sure the mission of the school is carried out and the program. I encourage the staff to make their own goals also, but I don't seem to have control over those.
Ruth Ann,
and I think it's valuable when I can take these goals & make sure they are owned & embraced by my team.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
As a program director, almost 100% of our goals are top-down. Very few goals are bottom-top. If they are not from corporate office then they are dictated by accrediting bodies.
Bobbi,
this is a great approach as it allows for input but also proper direction.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
In our campus, when we are going into a budget season, it starts bottom up, however ends up being top down. Once my teams goals are set each for the year then I take those goals and break them into individual ones based on tenure, ability, etc, which is top down.
Once the goal for each rep is established then I work with them individually to see what their personal stretch-goal is, what needs to happen weekly (or even daily) for them to achieve it.
The process I used in a prior position was bottom-up goal setting. At least, it was bottom-up if I understand correctly! Each staff member in the department devised his/her own goals, making sure they upheld the company’s mission statement and values, and applied the SMART criteria. I then shared the goals I created with my manager for approval- I believe this would be the negotiation process, as mentioned in the lesson.
My current position seems to employ top-down goal setting. I’ve been given a set of company goals from corporate that I believe my peers at other institutions also received. Using the company goals as a sort of guiding point, each institution in the corporation can create individual goals. Actually, I came into the job with those goals already in place, so I’m not really sure who drafted them. My task will be to determine the steps needed to accomplish said goals, and being a department of one doesn’t really give me an option to delegate tasks! I’ll probably use the SMART criteria in this situation as well.
The top-down process is kind of preferable in the latter situation, as I’m new to the company and it helps to know where to even begin; especially in terms of what the organization’s goals are that I’m working to meet.
Linda,
this is a great synopsis of an effective approach to goal-setting.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
I agree with this statement. I feel a hybrid model is best and knowing when to use which is important. Individuals are just that, individuals with different backgrounds, work styles etc. I feel being a good leader requires one to be sensative to the various individuals, the various issues at hand and the tasks that need to be accomplished in both directions (top - down and bottom-up. I have always leaned in the direction of managment works for their staff and the clients / students / patients. I have found this leadership philosophy to work very well by letting all know that I am here to serve and support. That said, I also serve the company and my superiors who have tasks that need to be appropriated and managed. So being flexible is so very important in serving all well. Therefore the goal setting also needs to be individualized to the person, persons, or tasks at hand. Knowing which one and when to use is what, in my opinion works well.
