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Barriers to Goal SettingA guide on barriers to goal setting and tips on how to overcome them! Goal-setting is a fundamental tool that provides structure and guidance to the work of an individual employee, as well as to a team and organization. It provides a framework to define and monitor individual achievements as well as organizational expectations in the short and long-run. Goals provide a road map for the future allowing people to focus their energy and resources on the right activities. They facilitate a commitment to specific objectives, determine priorities and stimulate action towards measurable end results.
However,
even though goal setting is such a powerful
tool there are still barriers to it. Why do people hesitate to use this
excellent tool? There
are many barriers to goal setting and we are
going to list some of the common ones together with some tips on how to
overcome them. Lack of Vision -
It's tough for some people to have a
vision of the future. Setting goals can certainly help accomplish what
people
truly want, but they must be very clear as to what that is before the
goal-setting
process can work. Fear of the Unknown
- Some people are terrified of
goal-setting. The goal-setting process usually demands people to beat
their
biggest fears-the fear of the unfamiliar and of disappointment. They
are afraid
because challenges and risk might take them into unknown, risky realms.
Lack of Understanding
- People don’t set goals
because they don’t fully grasp how powerful goals can be. They can turn
them
from good employees to excellent ones-determined, productive, and high
achieving. Some employees don’t understand the nature of goal-setting.
They
think they have goals but really just have wishes. History - A bad goal setting
process in the past may
have caused a lot of disappointments.
In
this case people are hesitant to try again and find it hard to believe
that
goal setting is a tool to help them achieve what they want, step by
step. Lack of Focus -
Some people are really disorganized
and busy and they see the goal setting process as a way to add more
work into
their already overpacked schedule. They don’t feel they are ready to
take on new
challenges. They don’t understand that having goals will make their
lives
easier, not more difficult, and will save them time in
the long run. Quick Tips to Overcome Barriers
to Goal Setting: Clearly
define and explain what goal setting is and
how is it going to benefit them and the organization. Let
them know that the goal setting process is a
joint proactive process intended to support them in their work and help
them
grow and thrive. Visualize
the vision with them; let them see the
road map through goals and activities by sharing organizational or
departmental
goals with them. Ensure
them that the process of goal setting is not
about creating more work. It is about organizing and focusing them so
that they
can function better in the long-run. Don’t
push your agenda on them, let them get
comfortable with the concept and plan the next steps together with them. Inspire
them - motivate them - start with yourself -
grab a flipchart and start listing a few goals! |
Outstanding Leaders
consider themselves a work in progress Dr Franklin C. Ashby Free Monthly Newsletter Subscribe to our free e-newsletter and get new monthly articles and other management tools. Management Skills Resource
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