Leaders often want to get big things done. So, they set Big Goals!
You can check out these very brief free videos which give you an overview of effective goal-setting and you will see why I love the idea of Big Goals.
However, sometimes Big Goals become a Big Joke in an organization. And the joke is on the leader who sets them.
Way too often, leaders will pronounce a new Big Goal with the seeming belief that by saying the Big Goal it will happen. But, everyone knows that if you want to get something new and big done, you have to go about it differently. We are all familiar with the popular definition of insanity:
“Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result.”
Recently a staff member of an organization lamented to me that her team was probably not going to achieve a new Big Goal set by a new boss. I said:
“Did he give you more budget or more staffing?”
“No.”
“Did he encourage you all to brainstorm new, creative ways to go about pursuing the goal?”
“No.”
“How did he expect it to get done.”
“I’m not sure.”
This little story is not going to end well and the responsibility can be shared all around. The boss should know better. But the staff person should as well. If you run into a boss who pronounces new Big Goals then you should initiate a conversation about more resources and process redesign.
Unfortunately, bosses who pronounce Big Goals often undermine their own credibility – especially if they are new to the job. People know that a lot of “Big Goal talk” is a joke because nothing new is put in place to make it happen. People yawn at the leader and just keep doing what they have been doing.
Don’t be a Big Joke! Check out this brief free video series and learn how you can set Big Goals for you and your team that you can really achieve and make a Big Difference.
