How Goal Setting Activities Boost Productivity

Whether you're looking to motivate yourself, your employees, or both, goal setting activities are a great way to boost productivity. Find out here how it works.

Does your team need a boost in productivity? Would you like to see improvement and significant accomplishments in your startup? What startup doesn't want to be more productive? With the hard-working entrepreneurs dominating the market, startups need to make a big splash fast to be seen. Goal setting activities are key for motivating both you and your team toward success. But how do you know you're setting the right goals? How can you keep your team motivated and accountable along the way? Keep reading to learn how to make effective goals and use goal setting activities to boost your productivity.

How to Set Effective Goals for Your Business

Setting goals for your business can have a significant impact on your productivity and success. Having a goal to work toward, even without a financial incentive, has been proven to improve performance in the workplace. Studies show that goal setting improves worker performance by 12 to 15% compared to situations where no goals have been set. If you want to hit a certain number of sales or reach a significant amount of followers, start making goals for yourself and your team. Here's a 4-step process for setting effective goals:

1. Start with Long-Term Goals

First of all, it's important to separate business goals from pure wishes. Sure, having big dreams is necessary for business, but you must be willing to put forth the effort to make them happen. A goal without a plan is simply a wish. Think about where you want your business to be 5 years from now. Base your long-term goals on what you'd like to accomplish by then. They may seem lofty, but they will be your team's motivator to follow through with the step-by-step plan.

2. Break Down Your Goals

The long-term goals we started with in step 1 will provide focus and direction for your startup. Now, break those big goals down into short-term goals you'll need to accomplish along the way. With these wins, you'll gain momentum to go the distance. These little successes are what will keep your team going. Create goal setting activities with your team to accomplish these small wins. This is how everyone feels like they're contributing to your startup's and, as a team, you're making great progress. Long-term goals can be overwhelming, seeming too large to ever make a reality. Creating a plan with small steps to accomplish is the way to keep from getting defeated on the long road.

3. Set SMART Goals

Have you heard of SMART goals? When setting goals for your team, make sure they're:

Specific: Clearly state the specific terms of your goal. This allows your team to prioritize and remain focused.
Measurable: Use numbers and metrics to quantify your goal.
Attainable: Your goal shouldn't be so big that you can't really make it happen. Think about what is realistic for your team's abilities and resources.
Relevant: Set goals that matter to your business and align with your mission.
Time-based: Apply a deadline to your goal, creating a timeline with milestones that will help you achieve it.

4. Re-evaluate

It's not uncommon for goals to change. In fact, a smart startup owner will have to adjust his goals to meet the obstacles, trends, and even successes that come his way. At least twice a year, re-evaluate your short-term and long-term goals to make sure you're still aiming high enough. Adjust your plans to meet your new goals and keep you on track.

Goal Setting Activities for Your Team

Now that you have a good idea of how to make goals for your business, it's time to get the whole team in on the fun. The more your team is involved in the process, the more motivated they'll feel to accomplish these goals. Here are a few goal-setting activities to do as a team:

Determine Your Mission

Everyone in your startup needs to be clear on the overall mission their work aims to achieve. What is the main point of your business? What is every action aiming toward? You probably have an incredible vision for your startup that employees have been excited to get behind. Let them play a part in building the company's mission statement. Make a plan for how you'll consistently communicate that mission statement. Here are a few tips for crafting an effective mission statement with your team:

Make it simple and easy to understand.
Keep it honest and authentic.
Put your mission statement everywhere in the office so that it's obvious to the entire team. Let it act as a daily reminder.
Make it bold, strongly declaring what your company is all about and who you aim to serve.

Create Your Game Plan

Goal setting activities apply to every department in the business. Each department should create their own goals that will help the company reach those long-term goals that you have in mind. Next, let your team brainstorm different frameworks for how each department will reach its goals. Decide on one framework for each department to use to keep things consistent across the company. Some common frameworks include:

All of these resources provide frameworks for reaching a goal. No matter what the goal is, the same framework can be used. Having each department using the same framework can be an effective way to boost productivity.

Communicate Metrics With Your Team

Employees need to be aware of their progress along the way, and it doesn't hurt to acknowledge the strides they've made. This helps them keep motivated to want to do even better for the company. Don't make the mistake of keeping your team in the dark about the company's progress. Set metrics for each goal, and communicate those metrics efficiently with your team. Hold weekly or monthly 1-on-1 meetings with individual team members. Discuss progress on key metrics and give them advice on overcoming any obstacles that may stand in their way going forward. Weekly team meetings are also great for goal setting activities. Bring everyone together to review progress, set priorities and offer feedback.

Startup Success

Goal setting activities are a necessity for every startup. With the right goals in place and an ambitious, motivated team, you'll see success in no time. Want to toss around your ideas and make sure you're on the right track with your goals? Contact me for consultation services today!