A certain organization is never without goals. Organizational goals are the reason why a group or an association is able to continue its advocate. Business organizations take the primary goal of earning a profit along with expanding the business and acquiring more customers. Non-profitable organizations survive and carry on with its activities with its goals. Under each goal, a group can formulate objectives that specify what needs to be attained. Objectives must be specific, measurable, and achievable in a given period of time.

The Importance of Organizational Goal Setting

Apart from providing direction for an organization, setting goals also help create a harmonious environment since everyone is looking forward to a common set of goals to achieve. Since goals are planned ahead and are actually part of the strategic planning of an organization, the members and leaders can prepare for the enactment of these goals. Achieved goals would also mean successful planning. With this, employees who contributed their skills and knowledge to attain them will be aptly rewarded. Successful goals are one of the bases for performance recognition.

What makes an effective goal setting in an organization? How do the members and leaders go about performing the objectives in each goal? Here we will talk about the criteria and process in organizational goal setting.

What Does an Organization Need in Setting Goals?

Every established goal must be based on a set of factors in order for it to be effective. These elements are necessary to accomplish the goals and objectives in an organization.

           Organizational goals must be specific and measurable.

• If business goals ought to be quantitative, organizational goals can be both qualitative and quantitative. For a non-profitable organization, goals are better measured based on quality. But in a more concrete requirement, goals have to be specific and unambiguous.         

           Organizational goals must cover areas with key outcomes.

• Goals must be result-oriented, so each objective and each goal has to be directed to achieving organizational results and not on individual employee performance or behavior.

           Organizational goals should be challenging but realistic and relevant.

• Challenging goals encourage motivation from the members to work hard for it. Moreover, they must be realistic and relevant in a way that each goal must be in accordance with the current situation and condition.

           Organizational goals should have step-by-step targets.

• Objectives are best achieved if they are easily attainable at first instead of general and highly ambitious goals. The members will find it easier to work on one goal at a time and with each successfully attained goal, there will be a stronger drive to work on more challenging goals.

           Organizational goals must be time framed.

• Aside from being short-term, timeframe is important in setting organizational goals because a goal ought to have a certain deadline. It helps increase productivity and a better chance of success.

           Organizational goals must have a contingency plan.

• Goal barriers must be predicted and prepared for using a back-up plan to prevent failure of goal achievement.

What are the Steps in Organizational Goal Setting?

Here are the steps to take in establishing organizational goals:

1. Involved members and leaders in the organization must brainstorm the goals to be achieved.
2. From the list of brainstormed goals, the group must decide which goals are not necessary and which goals need focus.
3. After the goals were carefully chosen, objectives must be identified for each goal and action plans must be determined for each objective.
4. With an effectively laid out plan and goal setting, the next step is to act on these goals. The full cooperation and participation of each member is needed. Goals are best achieved if the people work as a team.
5. Goal monitoring and tracking are important to evaluate the progress every now and then. Consider the timeframe allotted for a certain goal when tracking progress.
6. Successful goal outcomes deserve proper recognition; failed goals have to be analyzed and revisited so the group will find out the areas that need work.

Effective goal setting in an organization brings success to the whole entity and to the individual members. As more goals are achieved, the organization takes a few notches higher and moves forward with bigger goals.