It Is Time for SMARTER Goals Setting

SMARTER goal setting

SMARTER goal setting is slightly different to SMART goals setting. We have written extensively about SMART goals in the past. In a nutshell SMART is an acronym which stands for specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and timely. The SMART system is a method of goal setting used in a wide range of organizations. We’ve written a great essential guide on SMART, but today we here to talk about a recent extension to the SMARTER setting methodology. As you can tell there has been a slight addition to SMART… two extra letters. So now we have…

SMARTER Goals Acronym

What does the SMARTER goals acronym stands for? Find the meaning of each of the letters below;

What are SMARTER Goals?

Let’s quickly just go through the ones we already know…

S - Specific

Your goals need to be specific. They need to provide you with clarity and a concise aim as to where you are going with your objective. Ask yourself some of these questions to flesh out what your goal really is:

• What do I want to achieve?
• Is anyone else involved?
• Is it likely I will face any challenges and what may these challenges be?
• How will I achieve this?

M - Measurable

Your goals need to be measurable. Giving yourself a metric to work alongside makes achieving your goals easier. You can create a timeline and benchmark your progress along it to see if you are meeting your goals in time or not. Ask yourself:

• Do I have a timeline?
• When do I want to achieve this goal?
• How will I know when I have accomplished this goal?

A - Achievable

Your goals need to be achievable. Are your goals realistic? Is it feasible for you to achieve them in the given timeframe? We like to think that we can achieve big targets, but sometimes this just isn’t the case. Make your goals big enough to push yourself when trying to achieve them. But don’t make them unachievable.

• Is this goal realistic?

R - Relevant

Your goals should be relevant. Every goal should have a reason behind it. Smaller goals should link to the larger picture and most should align to team, departmental or organizational objectives.

• Do my goals align to the team, department and organizational targets?
• Is the task worthwhile?

T - Timely

Make sure you set deadlines to your goals. It is harder to achieve timely goals without one. You may want to extend this to have a timeline of deadlines. Breaking down your superordinate goal into smaller ones so you can track your progress along the way.

• When is my task deadline?
• Should I create a timeline? If so, what are my smaller goals?
• What can I achieve in 6 months?

So, what about the new letters? Let’s take a look…

E – Evaluate!

As opposed to winging it and hoping that by the end of the process you have achieved your goals, continuously evaluate your goals all the way along the process. This can differ by person. Some people may want to evaluate the progress of their goal daily, some weekly and some bi-monthly. Whatever you prefer, make sure you are continuously evaluating your goals to help make sure you achieve them. This goal links very well with timely, in that you have a timeline-based approach to goal setting.

It also means evaluating your performance at the end of the process so that you can learn from your mistakes and optimize your next goal setting process.

Evaluating your goals will help you stay focused all the way along the process.

R – Readjust!

Ever been faced with a continuous problem in the workplace, are you hitting the wall? Well this letter is here to help you. If you are facing a continuous problem with your goals, it’s time to take a step back and re-adjust. Re-adjusting doesn’t mean throw away the goals and get new ones, it’s a means to an end, a way of getting around your problems.