Stephanie,
yes, we want the goals to be achievable while at the same time challenging us & stretching us.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
I feel that a reasonable goal is one that is attainable and its success can be measured. I think setting realistic goals while pushing for overall improvements are key elements of being reasonable and therefore achievable.
Andrew,
and the immediate feedback is crucial to good performance.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
This wil help with giving immediate feedback when being asked to obtain an unreasonable goal without any form of management or clear directive.
Alise,
this is a great point & the goals that aren't achievable will very quickly demoralize your team.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
A reasonable goal is one that is achieveable. If it is nearly impossible to achieve, then, the team will probably lose interest in reaching it.
An unreasonable goal will have so many barriers to reaching it that it will not be achieved or if achieved, may leave a 'bad taste' about future projects/goals.
Nicole,
yes, the SMART goals & the willpower really are key.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
Neidra,
yes, goal setting does require us to be realistic as far as what is avaiable to us to help achieve these goals.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
My perception of a reasonable goal is one that can be reached within a short period for short-term goals. An unreasonable goal is one that does not follow SMART goal setting standards. I assess my short-term and long-term goals periodically. If my goals continue to allude me ( stays constant on the time from setting it) then I believe I have set an unreasonable goal. Sometimes it is not the goal, but the will to achieve it that is lacking. For example, I signed up for an online course and immediately set goals for achieving. However, I did not find the time to complete one chapter in the guideline due to my schedule. Week after week passed and I was no closer to achieving that particular goal so it alluded me until I had the willpower to complete the chapter and further my goals.
Reasonable goals are realistic. Sometimes we set ourselves up for failure because we set goals that not obtainable due to reasons such as lack of resources, unwillingness from the team, time contraints as well as financial constraints. Reasonable goals are also result oriented. Unreasonable goals are vague and cause you to escalate any oppositions to change.
I feel reasonable goals are ones that challenge a person to learn someting of value and increases their confidence and performance.
James ,
yes many factors can go into why a goal is unreasonable or not reached; the time frame is often a problem.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
a reasonable goal is one that is attainable given access to the appropriate tools and time frame. The goal should be reasonable. An unreasonable goal is one that is unrealistic in the time frame and does not have the necessary tools to accomplish the task.Perhaps the time frame is too short.
Margaret,
and I would add in this situation that unreasonable goals are also those that are randomly added onto situations.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
A resonable goal is somrthing that can be obtained within a timely period. It may reach a point that it could or world be challenging, but an unreasonable one is something that is far stretched and has no guideline or perimeter. We all set these and goals to some degree.... (ie) weight loss, savings, breaking a bad habit. The ideal is to break them down into smaller increments and working on them daily to get to the final destination.
I have often become frustrated at work because of the unreasonable goals that have been set by management. I have been able to accomplish so many things but every time I turn around I am asked why has some other thing not been done. I finally stated that I would begin by telling them what I did accomplish and would stop focusing on what could not be done. Unreasonable goals are ones that require more time than is needed to complete the job well. Reasonable goals allow the worker to set a schedule and complete it before several more tasks are given on top of everyday assignments.
Allison,
yes, something you can accomplish within a reasonable amount of time.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
A reasonable goal should be something that someone can actually accomplish. An example would be to receive a grade of 90% or higher on my next chemistry test.
An unreasonable goal is something that may not be attainable. An example of an unreasonable goal is to take a trip to the moon by the time I am twenty-five. More than likely it would be impossible to take a trip to the moon.
Rebecca,
yes, you nailed it right on the head. The goal must stretch us, yet definitely be something we can accomplish.
Dr. Ryan Meers
A reasonable goal challenges me yet is attainable. I've recently been accepted into a PhD program. Earnign my PhD is reasonable and certainly challenging. It will involve me breaking the overall aim of earnign my degree into easier-to-manage checkpoints along the way.
An unreasonable goal would either be unattainable or unrealistic given my circumstances. It would be unreasonable for me to say that I will earn my PhD in 1 year.
