18/06/2020
What Does SMART Mean?
SMART is an acronym that you can use to guide your goal
setting.
Its criteria are commonly attributed to Peter Drucker's
Management by Objectives concept. The first known use of
the term occurs in the November 1981 issue of Management
Review by George T. Doran. Since then, Professor Robert S.
Rubin (Saint Louis University) wrote about SMART in an article
for The Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology. He
stated that SMART has come to mean different things to
different people, as shown below.
To make sure your goals are clear and reachable, each one
should be:
Specific (simple, sensible, significant).
M easurable (meaningful, motivating).
A chievable (agreed, attainable).
R elevant (reasonable, realistic and resourced, results-based).
T ime bound (time-based, time limited, time/cost limited,
timely, time-sensitive).
Professor Rubin also notes that the definition of the SMART
acronym may need updating to reflect the importance of
efficacy and feedback. However, some authors have expanded it
to include extra focus areas; SMARTER, for example, includes
E valuated and R eviewed.
How to Use SMART
Paul J. Meyer, businessman, author and founder of Success
Motivation International , describes the characteristics of SMART
goals in his 2003 book, " Attitude Is Everything: If You Want to
Succeed Above and Beyond." We'll expand on his definitions to
explore how to create, develop and achieve your goals:
1. Specific
Your goal should be clear and specific, otherwise you won't be
able to focus your efforts or feel truly motivated to achieve it.
When drafting your goal, try to answer the five "W" questions:
What do I want to accomplish?
Why is this goal important?
Who is involved?
Where is it located?
Which resources or limits are involved?
Example
Imagine that you are currently a marketing executive, and you'd
like to become head of marketing. A specific goal could be, "I
want to gain the skills and experience necessary to become
head of marketing within my organization, so that I can build
my career and lead a successful team."
2. Measurable
It's important to have measurable goals, so that you can track
your progress and stay motivated. Assessing progress helps
you to stay focused, meet your deadlines, and feel the
excitement of getting closer to achieving your goal.
A measurable goal should address questions such as:
How much?
How many?
How will I know when it is accomplished?
Example
You might measure your goal of acquiring the skills to become
head of marketing by determining that you will have completed
the necessary training courses and gained the relevant
experience within five years' time.
3. Achievable
Your goal also needs to be realistic and attainable to be
successful. In other words, it should stretch your abilities but
still remain possible. When you set an achievable goal, you may
be able to identify previously overlooked opportunities or
resources that can bring you closer to it.
An achievable goal will usually answer questions such as:
How can I accomplish this goal?
How realistic is the goal, based on other constraints, such as
financial factors?
Example
You might need to ask yourself whether developing the skills
required to become head of marketing is realistic, based on your
existing experience and qualifications. For example, do you have
the time to complete the required training effectively? Are the
necessary resources available to you? Can you afford to do it?
Tip:
Beware setting goals that someone else has power
over. For example, "Get that promotion!" depends on
who else applies, and on the recruiter's decision. But
"Get the experience and training that I need to be
considered for that promotion" is entirely down to you.
4. Relevant
This step is about ensuring that your goal matters to you, and
that it also aligns with other relevant goals. We all need support
and assistance in achieving our goals, but it's important to
retain control over them. So, make sure that your plans drive
everyone forward, but that you're still responsible for achieving
your own goal.
A relevant goal can answer "yes" to these questions:
Does this seem worthwhile?
Is this the right time?
Does this match our other efforts/needs?
Am I the right person to reach this goal?
Is it applicable in the current socio-economic environment?
Example
You might want to gain the skills to become head of marketing
within your organization, but is it the right time to undertake the
required training, or work toward additional qualifications? Are
you sure that you're the right person for the head of marketing
role? Have you considered your spouse's goals? For example, if
you want to start a family, would completing training in your
free time make this more difficult?
5. Time-bound
Every goal needs a target date, so that you have a deadline to
focus on and something to work toward. This part of the
SMART goal criteria helps to prevent everyday tasks from taking
priority over your longer-term goals.
A time-bound goal will usually answer these questions:
When?
What can I do six months from now?
What can I do six weeks from now?
What can I do today?
Example
Gaining the skills to become head of marketing may require
additional training or experience , as we mentioned earlier. How
long will it take you to acquire these skills? Do you need further
training, so that you're eligible for certain exams or
qualifications? It's important to give yourself a realistic time
frame for accomplishing the smaller goals that are necessary to
achieving your final objective.
Source......
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