Looking to 2021: Setting Goals for Your Team

The new year means a new outlook for managers and the teams they lead. Here’s how to set goals for the coming year that engage your staff and encourage them to achieve their best.  

Ask “Why”? 

Knowing that you want to set goals is different from knowing why those goals are necessary. Being able to communicate the “why,” however, ensures that you thoroughly understand the goal. Communicating this understanding to your team can help them engage with the process of achieving the goal because they understand its purpose. 

Work With the Team to Set Goals 

Studies of worker productivity and engagement indicate that when workers are involved in setting goals, they’re more likely to achieve those goals. That’s because the process of goal-setting creates a sense of ownership among your staff. The goals become “our” goals, not merely “the company’s” or “the boss’s” goals. 

Get More Mileage from Performance Reviews 

Performance review season is an excellent time to focus on goal-setting with each member of your team. During a performance review, you can work one on one with each team member. The two of you can set clear goals to address weaknesses in performance and to find ways for the employee to leverage their strengths more effectively toward reaching group successes. 

Hold Them Accountable 

Goals can inspire and motivate your team, but accountability is required to ensure everyone stays on track for success. Set deadlines with clear, objective metrics for completion of each task. Consider checking in with your team once every day, perhaps near the end of the workday, in order to hear what each person accomplished.  

Make Expectations Clear 

Not all goals can be reached. Some are set unusually high in order to encourage more effort. Others fail due to factors outside your team’s control.  

Communicate with your team to help them understand how to evaluate goals, spot challenges, and address potential issues. When you build a community of transparency and communication, you help your team achieve their goals even when mistakes or outside forces throw them off course.  

If you’ve set a goal to find new team members or address skills gaps in the coming year, the recruiters at THE RIGHT STAFF, LLC can help. To learn more, contact us today. 

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