Setting Objectives - Getting Even SMARTER

George Ambler, over at The Practice of Leadership, offers his latest take on Setting Objectives using the S.M.A.R.T. method.

Notice it's not setting goals, but setting objectives.

George's take: We need to be aware of the difference between goals and objectives.

• Goals relate to our aspirations, purpose and vision.
• Objectives are the battle plan, the stepping stones on the path towards the achievement of my goal.

S.M.A.R.T refers to the acronym that describes the key characteristics of meaningful objectives, which are:

• Specific (concrete, detailed, well defined)
• Measureable (numbers, quantity, comparison)
• Achievable (feasible, actionable)
• Realistic (considering resources)
• Time-Bound (a defined time-line)

More on the SMART method of setting objectives here.