January 25, 2021
Hallie Moberg Brauer
Associate Consultant
ADR Consulting Group LLC.
You blink and it’s mid January. You haven’t found even a moment to sit and set goals for the year. What to do?! Take a deep breath, and focus. February is a great time to set goals and make plans to realize those goals.
Why set goals in February?
Let the dust settle. Many companies and organizations have been on break or a modified schedule between the end of December and January. This creates extra stress as systems begin again, and coupling goal setting with playing catch-up does not set anyone up for success. January goal setting can feel like it's on a back burner… and may not make the top of the priority list again.
Giving everyone time to get back into the rhythm for two weeks can create space to be thoughtful about what goals to prioritize for the year. This extra time allows team members to evaluate what’s going well, as well as opportunities for growth and improvement
The calendar year is a marathon, not a sprint. According to a study published in The Journal of Clinical Psychology showed that only 46% of resolutions set in January proved to be successful, meaning more than half were unsuccessful. Often people rush to meet new goals, when what they really need to do is establish new habits over a few months.
What types of goals should your organization seek to set this year?
it is essential for all organizations to set Anti Bias Anti Racism (ABAR) goals for 2021. Everyone is responsible for bringing an end to bias and racism in this country, and working to create diverse, equitable, and inclusive work environments goes a long way towards achieving this goal. Make ABAR goals for your organization a priority, strive to meet those goals, and see positive change occur.
It is essential all goals be SMART goals. This means:
Specific- Make goals clear and well defined. Nebulous goals are much less likely to be achieved.
Measurable- Create a system to measure when goals have been met. Depending on the goal, this could look many different ways, but think about how to measure success of the goal from the outset.
Attainable- Make sure the goal can be achieved. Setting goals that are too lofty can erode confidence over time, and set you up for disappointment.
Relevant- Setting goals that align with your mission and vision will help keep you and your business on track.
Time-Bound- Give yourself a deadline! Even if the ultimate motivation is simply the deadline… having a deadline will ensure that everyone attempts to meet the goal!
It is essential to keep your goals growth centered. You want your organization and business to grow! It’s always ok for the growth to be small, but growth is growth, and you want to be able to see it, and measure it!
One more tip?!
Whether you are a supervisor hoping to see results from your team members, or you are a one- person business operation, it is essential to create a plan to check in and monitor your progress. Making the time to monitor goal progress, daily, weekly, monthly- whatever works for you- will help ensure that you will meet those SMART goals by the deadline!
Is your business interested in support in the areas of goal setting, specifically in SMART ABAR goals? Reach out to ADR Consulting LLC for support!
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