I am continually amazed when I see measurements without goals. A lot of them do, but way too many don’t.
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Goals let people and teams understand the expectations. It drives behavior. It sets a target. It helps everyone understand if they are on track or if they need to step up their game.
So why don’t people have goals? I can think of a few reasons - all of the bad.
You can’t miss a goal you don’t set. You may laugh at this, but I’ve heard managers say this. They think they are gaming the system. In reality, they are showing a failure as a manager (and the team knows it).
You don’t know what a “good” goal is. Goals should be attainable, but still a bit of a stretch. You may not be comfortable with what that number is, so you give no number.
You think the measurement is too subjective. This is understandable, but wrong. It may take a little more work to make it less subjective, but you can do it. Also, don’t be afraid to deal with subjectivity.
Set a goal - if it is the wrong one, you can adjust it. Remember, if you don’t know where you are going, any road will get you there (Lewis Carroll).
PS: That isn’t the exact Lewis Carroll quote, it is a paraphrase. The exact quote is “If you don’t know where you want to go, then it doesn’t matter what path you take.” From Alice in Wonderland.
PS again: For you DISC fans, this should be a clear sign that I am a high C.
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