How SMART Goals Can Transform Your Work

Did you know that SMART goals have been around since 1981 when American consultant, George T. Doran, published a paper proposing the SMART goal framework? Hugely necessary, contributing to significant personal and professional success, SMART goals are still as relevant today as they were back in the 80s. Let’s explore the definition of SMART goals, and how using this framework can transform your work.

What are SMART goals?

An acronym for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound, the SMART goal framework is a structured approach to goal-setting that enhances outcomes, productivity, and performance. Let’s look at each aspect in turn:

Specific: Being specific about what you want to do, and clearly defining that, contributes to you achieving your desired goals. If you’re working in marketing, for example, instead of setting a goal to ‘launch a new social media campaign,’ a specific goal would be: ‘launch a new social media campaign targeting millennials to increase brand awareness by 25% within six months.’

Measurable: Quantifiable metrics allow you to track progress and stay motivated. This involves answering questions like "How much?" or "How many?" For instance, if you’re managing blog content, you might set the following measurable goal: ‘Publish 4 blog posts per month, each generating at least 500 views.’

Achievable: Your goals should be realistic and attainable, challenging yet possible. You know whether you’re setting the bar too high, and making an unreachable goal. If you’re a product manager, an achievable goal might be: ‘Successfully launch a new product line within six months, staying within the allocated budget and meeting all quality standards.’

Relevant: Align your goals with broader business objectives and your personal career aspirations. So, let’s say you’re setting a relevant goal as a software developer. This might look like: ‘Complete training on the new programming language within the next three months to contribute to upcoming projects requiring these skills."

Time-bound: Setting deadlines creates a sense of urgency, helping you know where to prioritise tasks. All these examples exemplify that setting milestones keeps you on track with your targets. Working backwards from a deadline ensures you’re constantly moving the needle toward your end goal. Once achieved, you’ll likely have a new goal ready to work towards!

Setting SMART goals boosts productivity 

Regularly reviewing and adjusting your goals based on measurable outcomes creates a culture of continuous improvement. If you’re setting SMART goals, you’ll likely possess a strong work ethic and be highly productive, which makes a direct impact on your work performance. In fact, the Centre for Management and Organisation Effectiveness found that setting goals improves work performance by as much as 20-25%.

Setting clear work objectives, either for yourself or your managers supporting you, contributes to increased workplace productivity. For example, say you set goals around your workplace activities. You can consider reducing the number of meetings and calls you’re in to achieve greater productivity, as Microsoft’s Work Index Trend found that 68% of workers surveyed felt they didn’t have enough uninterrupted time in their working day for focus work (as workers are reportedly in 3 times more weekly Teams meetings and calls since before the pandemic).

Being SMART helps you achieve your work-related goals 

If you’re a productive worker, you likely understand the power of setting SMART goals to achieve your ambitions at work. Whether you’re aiming for a successful outcome in one of your projects, or directly contributing to company growth, setting SMART goals might be your way to get there. Ensure your goals align with your company's mission, vision, and strategic goals, increasing the relevance of your goals while garnering support from your teams.

There’s a well-known theory that writing goals down makes you more likely to achieve them. That’s because you’re taking the time to explore your goals in more detail, and vividly describing them in more detail. Forbes reckons that people who do this are 1.2 - 1.4 times more likely to achieve their goals than those who don’t write them down. When you’re defining your goals (and by when you want to achieve them), you’re putting yourself in control of your professional life.

Enhancing SMART goals with digital tools

 Writing SMART goals might all be well, but how do you keep those goals in your mind front and centre, and track their progress? As we’re living in a world where technology is available at our fingertips, plenty of digital tools are out there to support your goals.

For example, you can type up your goals into the project management system you use for daily tasks. That way you’ll see your goals every day, and be reminded of whether you’re working towards them. Or use roadmap software to literally map your path to achieving them, including chopping up mini tasks into sprints. You can even use timers and apps to record time-based goals and deadlines to ensure you’re constantly tracking your progress. When it comes down to the amount of software available, the possibilities are endless, and in fact, individuals who set goals are “10 times more successful than those without goals.”

How to stay SMART

Having been around for the past 40+ years, SMART goals have certainly withstood the test of time, and are particularly effective in transforming your work habits and professional success. However, the SMART goal framework lies in regular review and adjustment, and maintaining a culture of continuous improvement. As you progress, remember to celebrate milestones and reflect on the journey, learning from each experience. Not only will you likely achieve your current goals but you’ll also set the stage for future successes, continually pushing ahead.

The question is – which SMART goals are you setting today to transform your work?

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