Main Article - Jan, 2005
GOAL--SETTING
By
K.R. Sarma, Sr. Dy. Secretary (Retd.), CSIR, Hyderabad
Some one said: “Great people don’t do different things but only do things differently.”
It is true in every walk of life, including one’s own occupation. If we are able to learn to do our things in the right manner that takes us ahead of others!
“Goal as a plan of work helps us to do things rightly”
It is one of the sharpest tools of effective functioning.
What gives so much sharpness to this tool ?
* It provides a focus on what we aim at and builds a challenge to motivate us. Without goals, without oriented goals, as a direction, it is a futile walk in wilderness in search of light;
* the focussed aim prompts us to anticipate the required reinforcement of skills and safeguard external distractions; and
* it provides milestones to measure and thereby to surpass.
In fact if we do not work for goals, then it means that we are not working at all.
We are only “filling time” with activity.
We are only practising Parkinson’s Law, that is, work fills the available time without any
benefit.
That is always at the root cause of decay of efficiency.
Activity is not work. Activity with results is work!
If we master in understanding our goals, we can draw successful action plan and act effectively. Goals are important for any field of activity
In fact unconsciously the housewife performs a goal. For her, the goals are levels of happiness for the entire family.
In a negative way, the goals are:
* Lesser and lesser impediments to happiness,
* Like for a Finance person, the goals are lesser and lesser delayed receipts and more and more early payments
Goals must be S.M.A.R.T.
S Specific
M Measurable
A Achievable
R Relevant
T Time bound
Specific
We must define the goal, in specific physical terms. Vague, not making any sense, goal is useless
Measurable
It must be in tangible form, which can be measured, if not in cardinal units, but at least in ordinal form say, first, second, third, etc.
Measurement may be in most of the work activities in visible concrete form. But in some, it may be in the form of intangible discount, that is degrees of lack of certain adverse things.
For example, a driver has a measurement of lack of accidents; a surgeon has a lack of casualties; electrical supply has a measurement of lack of voltage fluctuations; the maintenance engineer has measurement of lack of breakdowns of the machine.
Measurement is a factor which enhances objectivity in monitoring .
Achievable
Goal should be one which is sufficiently high, beyond our normal reach so that it is challenging and thrilling, but at the same time not out of sight or unrealistic.
It is a sin to set small goals for ourselves. It causes rust on the infinity of our ability for great things not being put into play.
“Fear of failure is the main cause for not aspiring for big goals.”
Failures are not there only for some. Even the great have encountered failures. They took those goals, with enforced courage, and applied their endurance and won over the failures.
As Emerson said, “That which we persist in doing becomes easier – not that the nature of the task has changed, but our ability to do has increased.”
Relevant
The goal must be relevant to the objective of the organisation. Any group activity succeeds like music. Music is constructed by the harmony of different chords and sounds. So also, the goals of one performer should be in harmony with those of the other so that the total objective is successful.
Time-bound
The goal must have a starting time point and a finishing time point. Indefiniteness of time for a goal is like a house without boundary wall. The goal will be lost.
By
K.R. Sarma, Sr. Dy. Secretary (Retd.), CSIR, Hyderabad
Some one said: “Great people don’t do different things but only do things differently.”
It is true in every walk of life, including one’s own occupation. If we are able to learn to do our things in the right manner that takes us ahead of others!
“Goal as a plan of work helps us to do things rightly”
It is one of the sharpest tools of effective functioning.
What gives so much sharpness to this tool ?
* It provides a focus on what we aim at and builds a challenge to motivate us. Without goals, without oriented goals, as a direction, it is a futile walk in wilderness in search of light;
* the focussed aim prompts us to anticipate the required reinforcement of skills and safeguard external distractions; and
* it provides milestones to measure and thereby to surpass.
In fact if we do not work for goals, then it means that we are not working at all.
We are only “filling time” with activity.
We are only practising Parkinson’s Law, that is, work fills the available time without any
benefit.
That is always at the root cause of decay of efficiency.
Activity is not work. Activity with results is work!
If we master in understanding our goals, we can draw successful action plan and act effectively. Goals are important for any field of activity
In fact unconsciously the housewife performs a goal. For her, the goals are levels of happiness for the entire family.
In a negative way, the goals are:
* Lesser and lesser impediments to happiness,
* Like for a Finance person, the goals are lesser and lesser delayed receipts and more and more early payments
Goals must be S.M.A.R.T.
S Specific
M Measurable
A Achievable
R Relevant
T Time bound
Specific
We must define the goal, in specific physical terms. Vague, not making any sense, goal is useless
Measurable
It must be in tangible form, which can be measured, if not in cardinal units, but at least in ordinal form say, first, second, third, etc.
Measurement may be in most of the work activities in visible concrete form. But in some, it may be in the form of intangible discount, that is degrees of lack of certain adverse things.
For example, a driver has a measurement of lack of accidents; a surgeon has a lack of casualties; electrical supply has a measurement of lack of voltage fluctuations; the maintenance engineer has measurement of lack of breakdowns of the machine.
Measurement is a factor which enhances objectivity in monitoring .
Achievable
Goal should be one which is sufficiently high, beyond our normal reach so that it is challenging and thrilling, but at the same time not out of sight or unrealistic.
It is a sin to set small goals for ourselves. It causes rust on the infinity of our ability for great things not being put into play.
“Fear of failure is the main cause for not aspiring for big goals.”
Failures are not there only for some. Even the great have encountered failures. They took those goals, with enforced courage, and applied their endurance and won over the failures.
As Emerson said, “That which we persist in doing becomes easier – not that the nature of the task has changed, but our ability to do has increased.”
Relevant
The goal must be relevant to the objective of the organisation. Any group activity succeeds like music. Music is constructed by the harmony of different chords and sounds. So also, the goals of one performer should be in harmony with those of the other so that the total objective is successful.
Time-bound
The goal must have a starting time point and a finishing time point. Indefiniteness of time for a goal is like a house without boundary wall. The goal will be lost.
