Beyond Traditional Smart Goals

Once upon a time, in a business management world that seems more remote with every passing day, SMART goals (specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-based) were enough to support business success.

Goal setting is the foundation for personal and business success. It is time, however, in the business environment existing today, to expand the meaning of SMART goals. And, perhaps, one word per letter is no longer enough to define a useful acronym. Stretch your imagination as we re-look at the words that define successful goals in goal setting.

SMART Acronym Newly Defined for Goal Setting

Let’s start with S. In addition to specific, we could have stretching, systematic, synergistic, significant and shifting.

M means measurable, but meaningful, memorable and motivating.

A is an achievable goal but A also needs to stand for action plans, accountability, acumen and agreed-upon.

R means relevant, but it also stands for realistic, reasonable, resonating, results-oriented, rewarding, responsible, reliable, rooted in facts and remarkable.

T means time-based and it also represents timely, tangible and thoughtful.

Fast Change Requires Direction: Goal Setting

So, do you need to desert SMART goals in the current work environment? Not at all. But, you definitely need to expand their meaning if the goal-defining acronym, SMART, is to serve you well in the current and upcoming business climate.

Events in the workplace are moving faster and faster. To stay competitive, you must shift direction, based on customer requirements, sometimes daily. Your goals need the same flexibility. In a performance management system, this is why goals are reviewed, at least, quarterly.

Hop on the new SMART goals express, because as Alice said to the proverbial Cheshire Cat, "'Would you tell me, please, which way I ought to go from here?' 'That depends a good deal on where you want to get to,' said the Cat. `I don't much care where--' said Alice. `Then it doesn't matter which way you go,' said the Cat."

In today's competitive business climate, it DOES matter which way you go. The redefined SMART goals WILL help you get there.

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