{"id":49092,"date":"2020-12-01T13:44:25","date_gmt":"2020-12-01T18:44:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.sogolytics.com\/blog\/?p=49092"},"modified":"2023-06-08T06:24:03","modified_gmt":"2023-06-08T10:24:03","slug":"how-managers-can-help-employees-set-goals","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.sogolytics.com\/blog\/how-managers-can-help-employees-set-goals\/","title":{"rendered":"How Managers Can Help Employees Set Goals"},"content":{"rendered":"

Many of us start a new year setting professional goals and making personal resolutions. Yet, attaining our goals can be challenging and a source of disappointment. This article examines how managers can help employees set goals and stick with them.<\/p>\n

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In the workplace, goals are useful for providing focused feedback<\/a> and shaping measurable targets. Goals can help to energize people. It\u2019s nice to feel like they can have a fresh start. Those goals provide a sense of purpose and can help focus their efforts going forward.<\/p>\n

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However, making goals that are too challenging or too easy can backfire. Aim too low and the person may feel undervalued or unmotivated. Aim too high and the individual could question their own abilities and resent being stretched too far. Helping to set realistic goals is one area where a manager can make a difference.<\/p>\n

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Helping Employees Set Goals<\/h2>\n

You are in a unique position to help your employees set better goals. For one, you have an outsider\u2019s perspective on their professional skills and prospects. Also, you have a broader view of the organization.<\/p>\n

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In navigating goal-setting discussions with direct reports, you can help them settle on attainable goals. It doesn\u2019t have to be an easy win. Although, if the employee is brand new<\/a> to the organization, a few of those may not be a bad idea. But, in the interest of employee engagement<\/a> and improved morale, you don\u2019t want to drive everyone to set pie-in-the-sky or piddling goals.<\/p>\n

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SMART goals<\/a> are a familiar concept for many. The idea is that the more specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and timely goals are, the more attainable they will be. You don\u2019t have to demand SMART goals, but being able to measure a goal on an ongoing basis will really help.<\/p>\n

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Notice we said ongoing basis. Continuous consideration<\/a> throughout the year can help you and the employee identify any obstacles and address them early on.<\/p>\n

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As a manager, you can also help reports create a plan for success. You can help with milestone setting and suggest resources that help them meet objectives. Maybe there\u2019s someone whose goal is to change departments and you can point them towards a mentor that can help them get there. Or, you could provide him with additional training to learn a new skill set. Perhaps, there’s a project you can put her on to challenge her to be more outspoken on teams.<\/p>\n

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Connecting employee goals to larger company goals helps make them more meaningful, too. When an employee understands how his goals play a role in company success, he is more likely to be engaged in accomplishing that objective.<\/p>\n

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It can also be useful for you to ask employees about their personal goals for the new year. You don\u2019t want to make them feel uncomfortable, but finding connections between personal and professional goals<\/a> can boost motivation. Plus, you can demonstrate you care for the employee as an individual by discussing what adjustments might need to come at work to help them achieve their personal goals.<\/p>\n

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Helping Employees Stick With Goals<\/h2>\n

While the intentions of setting goals are good, struggling to meet professional goals can demotivate employees. They may see the failure to reach a goal as a personal failure and, thus, suffer lowered morale. As a supervisor, you can help to turn the employee\u2019s perspective around. In a one-on-one meeting<\/a> with the individual, consider the following key questions.<\/p>\n

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What is being accomplished in trying to attain the goal?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Even if the goal isn\u2019t met yet, there can be a lot of good that came from setting that goal.<\/p>\n

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Many individuals are going to look at the experience from a negative point of view: \u201cHere is where I failed.\u201d But what did they accomplish along the way<\/a>? Maybe an employee wanted to become a manager this year, but she didn\u2019t get the promotion and is giving up hope. You can point out the new responsibilities she took on and the projects that she led for the first time.<\/p>\n

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Why weren\u2019t the goals met?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Lack of effectiveness is not the only reason for a goal to go unmet. There are many other factors that could make goal achievement more difficult. These include:<\/p>\n

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