With the new school year approaching, we want to remind you of one of the most effective approaches to goal setting: the SMART method. We have long used it to define both strategic and tactical goals, and in our recommendations to clients on their career path. Try sticking to the SMART method for the first two weeks, and you will see your personal effectiveness rise right away, and then SMART will become a habit.

What are SMART goals

SMART goals are realistic, specific goals with a deadline. A SMART goal must be:

  1. S (Specific) - specific
  2. M (Measurable) - measurable
  3. A (Achievable) - achievable
  4. R (Relevant) - relevant and important
  5. T (Time bound) - limited in time.

An example of a personal SMART goal: raise your English to B1 level by October.

Let's look at each SMART criterion in more detail.

Specific.

A SMART goal must be specific, which increases the chance of achieving it. "Specific" means that when you set the goal, you define exactly the result you want to reach. Answering these questions will help you formulate a specific goal:

  • What result do I want to achieve by completing this goal, and why?
  • Who is involved in achieving the goal?
  • Are there any constraints or additional conditions needed to reach the goal?
  • One rule always applies: one goal, one result. If it turns out while setting the goal that several results are needed, the goal should be split into several goals.

Measurable

A SMART goal must be measurable. At the goal-setting stage, you need to establish specific criteria for measuring progress. Answering these questions will help you set a measurable goal:

  • When will the goal be considered achieved?
  • Which indicator will show that the goal has been achieved?
  • What value should this indicator have for the goal to be considered achieved?

Achievable or Attainable

SMART goals must be achievable, because how realistic a task is affects the motivation of the person doing it. If a goal is not achievable, the probability of completing it tends to zero. Achievability is judged from your own experience, taking into account all available resources and constraints.

Constraints can include: time, investment, labor, the performer's knowledge and experience, access to information and resources, the ability to make decisions and the performer's managerial leverage.

Relevant

To judge how relevant a goal is, it is important to understand what contribution solving a specific task will make to a person's overall strategic objectives. This question will help you set a relevant goal:

What benefits will solving this task bring?

If completing the goal brings the person no benefit overall, the goal is considered useless and a waste of resources.

Time bound

A SMART goal must have a time limit, which means a final deadline must be set, and exceeding it means the goal was not achieved. Setting time frames and boundaries makes the management process controllable. At the same time, the time frames must be set with the possibility of achieving the goal within the set deadlines in mind.

The SMART method, like any other tool, has its own rules to follow, as well as pros and cons.

Rules of the SMART method

  1. Set priorities. Keep in mind that the most important item in the SMART technique is not S (specific), as priorities are usually set, but R (relevant). First of all we must understand not what we are doing, but why;
  2. Write it down. Goals should be formulated in writing. This lets you make adjustments and work the plan out in detail, down to clear job (or personal) instructions and steps to carry out;
  3. Be flexible. Keep in mind that over time new knowledge or circumstances appear that can affect the goal radically, so the criteria that define the goal must be adaptive;

Pros of the SMART method

  1. Clarity. Practice shows that once a goal is defined, it is much easier to move toward it, and sooner or later, as long as it stays relevant, it will lead to a result;
  2. Practicality. By describing a goal with this algorithm, you are in fact already outlining your action plan and the steps you need to take;
  3. Universality. The goal-setting algorithm is simple and universal;
  4. Efficiency. The SMART method helps save time and energy, regulate the work of staff and increase the productivity of actions;

Cons of the SMART method

  1. Uncertainty. SMART criteria are not always applicable to strategic goals. When planning a strategy, we always face uncertainty;
  2. Human factor. Rigidly planned and imposed goals may meet with misunderstanding from staff, so it is important to agree on the targets;
  3. Daily routine. Day-to-day busywork often gets in the way of reaching planned goals: an unmanageable stream of immediate tasks appears and distracts you.