Goal setting: SMART, KPIs and OKRs
Step 1 / 3·What a good goal looks like
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Learning objectives — after this module you will:
- Write SMART goals with clear success criteria
- Distinguish KPIs from OKRs and know when to use each
- Avoid the common measurement traps
What a good goal looks like
Write goals both sides read the same way.
A simple test for a good goal: give it to three different people and ask 'what counts as achieved?'. If all three answer the same, the goal is clear enough. If they differ, you've built an argument for the end of the period.
Same intent, two ways to write it
A vague goal
“'Improve customer service quality this year.'”
Not measurable, no deadline, no sense of how much 'improve' means. At year end both sides will argue about whether it was met.
A SMART goal
“'Raise the department's CSAT from 7.2 to 8.0 by 31 December, by cutting average response time from 24 hours to under 8.'”
A starting point, a target, a deadline and even the method — anyone reading it understands it the same way.
Don't forget BEHAVIOURAL goals
Many organisations set only OUTCOME goals (revenue, output). But someone who hits target by wrecking relationships with colleagues isn't performing well. Strong systems measure BOTH: what was achieved (results) and how (behaviour, values).
Key takeaway: A good goal reads the same to three people; measure both results and behaviour.