Apr

6

Setting Objectives

Filed Under Brad Works 

I’ve been working with both of my teams lately on identifying objectives and developing plans to see them realized. I’ve always been a little afraid of setting objectives because it feels like you’re limiting your scope. What happens if the handful of objectives you have don’t allow room for a really good idea that comes up?

On the other hand, if I set objectives that are too broad, it is nearly impossible to ever see them realized because there is never real closure. I am learning the following when it comes to objectives:

  • Identify the scope. Are you looking out over 6 months, 1 year, 2 years, or more? I don’t recommend more than three years. Some big shots can do this, but the reality is that the world changes pretty darn quick these days.

  • Identify three or four primary objectives you want accomplished in that amount of time. The temptation is to list more than 3 or 4 objectives. Don’t do it.
  • Flush out those objectives into explanation, especially with numbers. For example, if one of my objectives is to “get my company profitable,” I might flush it out by saying “turn a profit of 10% by X date.”
  • Once you have an objective with a measurable (number), then drill down to specific actions you will take, with dates, between now and the deadline for your objective to be realized.
  • Once the big picture objectives are set, now it’s time to do the same exercise with departments or workgroups. Each can identify their 3-4 objectives for accomplishing the overall objectives. This allows each team to see how they fit in the bigger picture, along with a more tangible way of achieving it.

Proctor and Gamble developed a system many years ago called OGSM (objectives, goals, strategies, and measures) which is where I borrow a lot of the logic from.

Objectives = Words
Goals = Numbers/dates (to accomplish the objectives)
Strategies = Words (to accomplish the goals)
Measures = Numbers/dates (to accomplish the strategies)

It starts big and gets small.

Comments

One Response to “Setting Objectives”

  1. tim Abare on April 7th, 2007 11:39 am

    B-

    The OGSM resource was created by Tom Muccio who was VP fro P&G at the time - after his stint at P&G he wrote a book and talekd about OGSM.

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