The 5 Biggest Mistakes Leaders Make in Goal Setting

MISTAKE #1: SETTING ONE REALLY BIG GOAL

The leader sets one BIG goal - usually financial. For example, “Achieve 300 Million in Revenue.” The goal is fairly arbitrary and irrelevant to virtually everyone except the leader.

When this kind of goal isn’t attained (and it seldom is) the leader becomes extremely frustrated and disappointed in his/her team and that leads to mutual loss of trust and confidence among the leader and the team.

 MISTAKE #2: SETTING TOO MANY GOALS

The leader falls into the trap of setting too many goals. Essentially, everything that could be a goal becomes a goal. 

This becomes unwieldy to manage and impossible for the leader to keep his/her team focused on what really matters. More time is spent managing the administration of the goals than leading and removing roadblocks so people can actually achieve the goals.

MISTAKE #3: NOT IDENTIFYING SPECIFIC STRATEGIES

The leader fails to identify tangible strategies, leaving the team directionless. Personal strategies (rather than team strategies) are then devised based on individual preferences. 

Ever been in a shotgun start in a golf tournament? It’s much like that, but in the case of goal setting, the leaders’ company or project has much higher stakes than the golf tournament!

MISTAKE #4: NOT GETTING TEAM ALIGNMENT AND BUY-IN 

Leaders often determine the goals and then decree them from “on high” with little to no engagement from the team members whose job it is to ensure the goals are achieved. 

The result is lots of great looking and sounding goals and strategies without a team motivated to achieve them. And lot’s of cynicism and eye rolls over lofty goals that people don’t believe in.

MISTAKE #5: QUICKLY LOSING SIGHT OF THE GOALS

Leaders often set outstanding goals and even get team alignment and buy-in. They’re excited, and their team is excited about achieving the goals. 

But then…the goals perform a disappearing act. The goals and any progress toward them are not focused on, talked about, actively implemented, tracked or reviewed. The annual goal setting check-the-box exercise is over and everyone returns to fire fighting. 

Sally Love