Goal Setting
In some cases is it acceptable to set very high goals that may be unrealistic to encourage the team to work harder?
Yes, our high achievers generally have no problem in nailing those lofty goals.
Ryan
Lofty goals are often inspiring and results-driven employees can thrive.
Steven,
Absolutely. And really we can apply the same principle for a new leader or manager. Often that person will want to achieve some quick wins with their workgroup to build confidence. Same idea here.
Ryan
I feel this happens many times in the work world. I feel that sometimes managers don't understand the little things that make people "tick". As others have said, setting lofty goals for a team member may be outside their scope of knowledge. Smaller "wins" can go a long way in boosting the confidence of anyone. The same concept works for students in a classroom atmosphere. Give them something they can achieve easily at first to get a "win". Then increase the level of difficulty of achieving the goal gradually. Not everyone is wired the same, yet given a little extra support or time, the outcomes may be the same or even better.
Hi Andrea,
Percieved probability of success indicates what actually happens when an individual’s goal is set too high or too low, and motivation is at a low either way. In order for individuals to stay motivated to develop and perform, they have to believe there’s about a 50% chance that they’ll succeed.
Yes, I think the key phrase here is "unrealistic." It's perfectly acceptable to set high goals to encourage the team to work harder, but if they are truly unrealistic, this is a set up for failure.
Ryan
I see your point of wanting them to work harder but it is that feeling of accomplishment that encourages them to work harder. I believe that if you think it is an unrealistic goal then they will also recognize it as an unattainable goal.
Good point. And I personally feel that if initially your group doesn't think they can meet your goals, perhaps set some lower goals that build their confidence, then slowly increase the level of the goal.
Ryan
Hi Andera,
i really think that your employees need to feel like they can accomplish a goal in order to make them feel like they are accomplishing something.
Good point & that is why I believe by engaging the whole team in the goal setting process you have the opportunity to hear from them if they think a goal is unattainable & why. You can then engage in a dialogue to discuss further & see what the goals really should be.
Ryan
I agree. Employee involment is the key. Using the experience and the knowledge they have is a great way to set goals. They have a role in the company's and their own future. I would caution however that if you set goals that are unattainable it could be a very costly mistake. It may backfire on you. They may get less motivated and just not even try to meet them.
Lofty goals are inherently good. The difficulty comes when people aren't making progress and being hurt and frustrated by the loftiness of the goal. When a person sets a goal to loose 100 lbs and they have lost 50 in 9 months, then that lofty goal becomes exciting and obtainable. Lofty goals have to be managed properly. Leadership helps the team or individual see how to change the approach for the next try.
I think sometimes we need to think outside of the box with our approach to goal setting. Entrepreneurial ideas typically seem unattainable by non authors - with proper communication of how this idea can become fruition, having team by-in ,giving them the tools and support needed to accomplish the goal -will most likely make those who thought they couldn't see that they can. Atleast we strive to always reach higher and learn from our short comings.
I think this can work well as long as good communication accompanies this change. If employees don't understand the reason, especially behind the very high, unrealistic goals they can lose motivation.
Ryan
This is a great point Felicia & a couple of things come to mind as I read your post. First of all I think the key idea is to evaluate whether the goals seem to be unrealistic or are they truly completely unrealistic or not achievable. As you said, often we perceive goals as unrealistic because we don't push ourselves hard enough or realize what we can accomplish.
Your second point about celebrating the accomplishments made if we don't achieve those hard goals is also important. When we are challenging our staff to push themselves & take risks & really stretch themselves then we need to celebrate what they do accomplish & not punish them for not quite making it. If we take a punishment mentality we will find that none of our employees ever want to push themselves again & they'll always "play it safe" which is usually the path to mediocrity.
Ryan
I find that in some cases it is acceptable to encourage the team with high goals that may be unrealistic. I find that this method at times motivates the staff to attempt the impossible and achieve greatness in the process. They may find that what they thought could not be achieved is achievable.
It is important that when the unrealistic goal is not met, but yet great achievements were accomplished to make sure to acknowledge their achievements. Staff should feel a sense of accomplishment even though the goal was not met.
Absolutely. If a business strategy or a set of goals is not working and has not been working it is acceptable to set unrealistic goals so that they only choice is to completely rethink the strategy. Setting high goals that may be unrealistic can get workers thinking in a different way which can result in new thinking, excitment and more motivation.
Absolutely right. If we make the goals unrealistic & so far out of reach, often we are just trying to set people up for failure or somehow prove we (as the manager) are this super person. These goals help no one. Thanks.
Ryan
I really don't think setting people for failure will encourage teams to work harder. I feel that goals could be hard but yet achievable.
