Make the most of Goals, talk about them

It is that time of the year when everyone is making resolutions and setting goals. I have come to the realization that the goals and initiatives I have set at my work place have the potential of becoming much more effective if I am willing to talk about them.

Accountability and Feedback from my supervisor. It is part of our culture to submit a “goals and initiatives” plan to our supervisor which is then discussed once a month in a one-on-one meeting; in doing so we open the lines of communication about these goals and other items.  These meetings are a great way to keep the supervisor informed of our progress which helps us be accountable for our actions.  Many organizations only rise to this level of communicating goals. I believe we miss a great opportunity if we stop here.

So this year I will also share my goals with:

Those I lead.  By sharing my goals with the people I lead I give them insight into the job I am trying to carry out. In communicating my goals I will also encourage input. I have these people on my team because I believe they do amazing work and we function better as a unit than as individuals. I trust their input. I also again believe I am held to a higher level of accountability if let people know what I am working on.

My peers. My group of peers consists of five other team members who have responsibilities much like mine. The reason to share my goals and initiatives for 2010 with this group is to get support and feedback. If constructed correctly my goals fit the ‘big picture’ of the organization. I want to keep my peers informed, I want them to buy-in to my work and I need their support.

Setting goals are an admirable task; however they are nothing more than words on a paper if they are not put into action. And if we are willing to talk about our goals we will get support and effective accountability.