Problems with setting goals only

When performance and accountability comes to mind the emphasis in conversations and literature is generally on goals only.  While the importance of having goals is not disputed, there are a few problem areas which need highlighting. 

The impression of the simplicity of setting goals is often, and sometimes too often, created in conducting leadership and dealing with performance and especially in the relevant literature.  It is simply a matter of deciding what it is that you want to achieve, record it as a goal (or in the worst case commit it to memory), then see to it that it meets a few basic requirements generally associated with goal setting and voila!  Everything appears to be under control, success will be imminent and you will be sitting in the pound seats.

Well, if only it was that simple we would all be retiring at a very early age and have fun the remainder of your lives. 

While formulating goals is an important activity there are a few additional aspects about performance that you should keep in mind.  Firstly, you have to become aware of the several essential key words and their meaning in providing proof of performance and how they fit into the concept of systems thinking. 

These are, for instance, "purpose", "objective", "vision", "mission" and "strategy" with as many definitions as authors.  Closely associated with these are also the concepts "key performance areas", "key performance indicators", "actions plans" and "targets". 

I am sure that you are familiar with all of them.  As a matter of fact, there are numerous articles and books on leadership, management and self-development where these terms are bandied about. 

Dealing only with goals and you being the only one responsible to achieve them, may be comparatively easy to formulate and to achieve.  You don't have to communicate them to a peer, a follower or a supervisor.  The only requirement is that you must satisfy your clients.

What really complicates the issue considerably is when you are functioning within an organizational context where formulating and communicating these goals could become a daunting process.

Now here are a few tricky questions.  Take the concept "goal' for instance.  When is a goal a goal?  Who sets a goal and who achieves it?  Does the supervisor set a goal and the follower achieves it or does the follower sets the goal and the supervisor supervises its achievement?  The same argument applies to the other terms.  And finally, who is accountable?

Then a second major problem to prove performance and accountability with your goals is that they must be recorded.  Recording goals requires some skill, but above all it implies commitment.  But this is unfortunately often seen as additional and unnecessary work.  So then what is the point of having goals at all?

Thirdly, by dealing with goals only, you are severely inhibiting your thinking in that you create what is known as tunnel-effect.  While focus is essential, the big picture is not seen, which could lead to unproductive effort. 

Formulating a goal is only a small percentage but a very necessary part of the work.  The real effort and the hard work are in planning and especially the key areas of thinking that precede the actual formulation of the goal, i.e. think about thinking, think purpose, think emotion, think system, think process and think performance, i.e. systems thinking. 

And what is more, you will very often have to deal with the emotional issues that are invariably attached to your goals.  You see, when something feels right in your heart it is much more convincing that it is the "right thing" to do than having to thrash it out with rational thinking. 

By highlighting the problem with having only goals, does this now mean that less attention should be given to it or that it should be abandoned?  Of course not.  There are many people who have achieved great success with achieving goals and still many more will do the same. 

To improve success it is apparent that you have to address two major issues.  Firstly, the key word "goal" should somehow fit into a broader perspective so that the big picture can become visible.  Secondly, and closely associated with seeing the big picture, is to include the all important aspect of systems thinking where special attention should be given to the techniques of thinking to achieve success.