| Goal Objective | | | | 4. Identify steps that can be eliminated or combined. |
| Good Goals are what gives a strategic plan | | | | 5. Monitor new process for time savings. |
| momentum and what will make an organization excel! | | | | Each of these objectives would have a specific |
| In order to make goals manageable, each one needs | | | | completion date based on the completion date for the |
| objectives. Objectives are the specific actions and | | | | overall goal. Additionally, each of these steps provides |
| milestones to goal accomplishment. Defining objectives | | | | a measurement for the progress in meeting the goal |
| is the critical step to making goal setting, and thereby | | | | and the last step suggests an overall measurement to |
| the strategic plan, successful. | | | | determine if the goal is met. Notice that measurement |
| | | | does not have to be complicated. In this case, simply |
| Once the leadership team defines a goal, they must | | | | comparing the previous required time to the new |
| determine the objectives that will lead to its | | | | required time will indicate whether the goal has been |
| accomplishment. To do this, the team determines what | | | | met. Goal Objective |
| steps need to be taken to make the goal a reality. | | | | This example is a simplified version of an actual event |
| However, this is where determining objectives and | | | | and it serves to illustrate another fact about |
| setting goals diverge. The leadership team may not | | | | determining objectives. In this case, it became apparent |
| have the expertise to determine the necessary | | | | that the steps could not be accomplished in the time |
| objectives to realize a goal. This is where the goal | | | | allotted for the goal. When this happens, the goal |
| champion comes in. Goal Objective | | | | champion must present the facts to the leadership |
| The champion should be from a part of the | | | | team who then must decide whether to revise the |
| organization that will have the primary responsibility for | | | | goal's completion date. They must carefully consider |
| the goal and will probably form a separate team to | | | | the reasons, but should definitely be willing to make the |
| determine the exact steps, or milestones, necessary to | | | | required adjustment. Remember, the experts in the |
| accomplish the goal. Each objective is an individual step | | | | process associated with the goal are giving their best |
| towards the goal. The goal champion may appoint | | | | advice and the point is to better the organization, not |
| objective champions. Doing so is especially useful | | | | cleave unbendingly to a point on the calendar. |
| when the goal and its objectives are complex. | | | | The leadership team should meet within a short period |
| Appointing champions is also a good way to help | | | | of time after completing the goal setting portion of the |
| develop leadership skills in subordinates. | | | | strategic plan to hear reports from the goal champions. |
| As an example, assume a manufacturing operation | | | | At this meeting, the champions present the final |
| where the leadership team has set a goal to reduce | | | | objectives required for their specific goal and request |
| time required for a particular process. Objectives for | | | | any modification to the completion dates. This meeting |
| that goal might be, | | | | should not be delayed more than two weeks as the |
| 1. Determine current time required. | | | | momentum toward goal completion is essential. |
| 2. Map steps for the current process. | | | | Additionally, the leadership team should receive |
| 3. Evaluate efficiency of each step in the current | | | | updates from each champion regularly, usually monthly, |
| process. | | | | to ensure the goal is still on track. |