When we think of plans, usually we simultaneously think of goals. Believe it or not, there is a goal setting process that leads to growth which usually is the desired results. What often happens is crazy, busy real estate agents often sidestep the process and there in lies one reason why the goal is not achieved.
Way back in 1981, George Doran, Arthur Miller and James Cunningham wrote an article which described the SMART goal criteria. Later, many companies to executive and sales coaches have adopted or revised this criteria, myself included.
The reason for my revision is that even though people knew about SMART goals, they were not embracing the criteria and hence goals were not consistently being achieved. Within the Triage Business Planning: Know Exactly What to Do and When to Do It, Track the Right Things to Product the Right Results, Avoid Misdirected Actions & Misguided Decisions, I added WAY and changed the “A” in SMART.
W = Written: Goals need to be written down and committed to paper or electronic form. I still believe there is more emotional power in handwriting than in typing. Research suggests that when something is written down there is a 42% chance it is more likely to make it happen.
Remember, human beings are emotional creatures
first and foremost.
A = Aligned: Goals must be aligned to YOUR Passion, Purpose and Plans
Y = YOURS: Goals must be yours. When goals are dictated by someone else, then those goals are for that individual and not for you. Individuals must own the goals for the goals to be attained.
S = Specific: Goals must be very specific. Generic, flowering goals are just that. The more specific the greater likelihood the goal will be achieved.
M = Measurable: Goals must be measurable. Numbers do matter and numbers can be tracked.
A = Achievable: The original authors used the word attainable. I believe achievable is a better word personally though both words essentially have the same meaning.
R = Realistically Set High: Often people write unrealistic goals such as lose 20 pounds in one month. However the goal still must be a stretch for if the goal is too easy to achieve, often the goal will not be achieved due to human nature.
T = TARGET DATE Time Driven: Goals must have a target date. The target date creates a time driven mandate to review the goal and make any necessary revisions.
As to the Growth Goal Setting Process, here are my 7.5 steps.
IDENTIFY: The problem, challenge, objective or goal (call it what you will).
STEP #1: WRITE WAY SMART goal
STEP #1a: SET Target Date (may need to be revised)
STEP #2: LIST Importance to You. Emotionalize the goal.
STEP #3: IDENTIFY what is in your way or what may get in your way
STEP #4: CONSIDER possible solutions to overcome STEP #3
STEP #5: WRITE detailed, step by step action steps. DO NOT SKIP STEPS. Skipping steps often is another reason for failed goal achievement
STEP #6: DETERMINE date for each action STEP and ASSIGN any delegation
STEP #7: REVISIT Target Date (STEP 1a) and CHANGE if necessary
STEP #7.5: CREATE & WRITE Positive Belief Statement (aka Positive Affirmation)
TRANSFER completed GOAL to GOALS ACHIEVEMENT SCORECARD
RE-PRIORITIZE and SET New Goal
Of course, it helps to have a proven goal setting worksheet when creating a WAY SMART Goal. To help my clients, I created the RESULTS Tool. This 2 page goal setting worksheet helps to ACE (Assess, Clarify and Execute) the goal.
If you missed Countdown Day 7, click here.
For Countdown Day 6 click here.
Feature Photo Courtesy of Pixabay.com
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