SMART GOALS

What Are S.M.A.R.T. Goals?

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The S.M.A.R.T. approach to handling goals came out of the corporate world in the early 1980s. It describes a method for setting and working toward goals, and the acronym stands for the following:

Specific: Clearly define goals as succinctly as possible.

Measurable: Identify metrics for measuring progress and success.

Achievable: Set realistic goals that can be completed within specific parameters.

Relevant: Ensure that goals are worth pursuing.

Time-Bound: Assign deadlines to goals and related action steps.

Using the S.M.A.R.T. framework for managing goals and objectives can help you examine the motivation behind pursuing a certain goal. It can also help you determine what resources will be required to reach that goal. The S.M.A.R.T. guidelines break down the goal planning process into clear steps so that vital questions can be answered efficiently. What exactly needs to be accomplished? How will you know when your goal has been reached? What is the timeline, and who is responsible for the different actions required to reach the goal?

S.M.A.R.T. goals may be especially useful when dealing with complex goals that need to be broken down into multiple, actionable steps that you delegate to various team members and track over time. This framework can also be combined with other strategic planning by analyzing strengths and weaknesses, identifying internal and external resources, and evaluating risk. Planning for potential problems and tracking metrics closely can help reduce risk, keep progress on track, and increase the chances of reaching a goal by the desired completion date.

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