---
title: The Problem With Your Goal-Setting Strategy— And How to Fix It
description: The Inspire approach To SMART Goals evolves the traditional structure of goal-setting to make your goals more valuable, meaningful, and attainable.
image: https://blog.inspiresoftware.com/hubfs/shutterstock_598993493-1.jpg
---

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# The Problem With Your Goal-Setting Strategy— And How to Fix It

[Goal Alignment](https://blog.inspiresoftware.com/topic/goal-alignment) [SMART Goals](https://blog.inspiresoftware.com/topic/smart-goals) [OKR goals](https://blog.inspiresoftware.com/topic/okr-goals)

### [Jason Diamond Arnold](https://blog.inspiresoftware.com/author/jason-arnold)

 January 23, 2020

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Effective goal-setting methodologies are often used by organizations to bridge the gap between strategy and execution, while offering teams and individuals meaning and purpose in their work. Goal-setting is also a cornerstone for building effective leadership within organizations while pursuing strategic business results.

But finding a method for goal-setting that addresses critical organizational needs that also align with the needs of teams and individuals can be a significant challenge. Effective goal-setting is a two-way street that can result in collateral damage if not managed carefully within an organization.

Many organizations still use traditional goal-setting methods, but it’s becoming obvious that the traditional methods [aren’t as powerful in the modern workforce](https://www.coachingpositiveperformance.com/5-critical-reasons-fail-reach-your-goals/). Traditional goal-setting methods are largely managed through top-down corporate hierarchy, where goals are set at an executive level, then cascaded down throughout the organization, and eventually landing at the feet of individual contributors. However, this approach to organizational goal-setting is often slow to adapt to strategic pivots caused by rapid change in the market, and can easily get derailed if the goals are too distant or ambitious to be effectively executed.

[The Inspire approach to #SMARTgoals evolves the goal structure through advanced research. @InspireSoftware offers advice on how to make your goals more valuable, meaningful, and consistent: Tweet This!](https://ctt.ac/5h4cS)

Here are a few problems associated with common methods used in goal-setting, and how to adapt them to the modern workplace:

## The Problem With SMART Goals

Traditionally, SMART goals are a simple way to help people nail down the basic fundamentals of an effective goal. The acronym helps structure a written goal that is Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, and Timely. However, breakthroughs in motivational science reveal a flaw in this approach. In our work with the leadership and engagement experts at Inspire, we’ve found that the traditional approach to SMART goals doesn’t always support the outcomes that leaders aim to optimize through the pursuit of goals. At the outset, it’s not always possible to predict what’s realistic or how long it will take.

**The Inspire Approach**

The[Inspire approach to SMART](https://blog.inspiresoftware.com/smart-okr-goal-structure-guide) goals evolves the goal structure through advanced research in engagement trends and motivational science to make goals more valuable, consistent, and meaningful to individuals. To ensure a more effective pursuit of goals, Inspire uses the following structure for creating SMART goals:

[When setting #SMARTgoals for your organization, remember that it’s not just about one person’s goal, it’s about how it fits into the larger objective. @InspireSoftware has tips for how to make your goals more valuable to your team: Tweet This!](https://ctt.ac/FVahc)

## The Problem with Year-Long Goals

While it’s important to [set long-term goals](https://blog.inspiresoftware.com/3-types-organizational-goals-achieve-excellence), particularly from an organizational perspective, goals that have a completion date too far in the future can be counterproductive in the short-term — especially in today’s tech-driven world. It’s difficult to predict how the environment will change throughout the year, so setting shorter goals within a longer timeline can help keep your goals agile, flexible, and allows managers to regroup, reassess, and accommodate changing needs in real-time. You don’t want to set a December goal in January but realize in April that you don’t have the right manpower to make it to the end, or even worse, that the objective you set out to achieve is no longer viable or relevant to the urgent needs of the company. Planning goals in easily digestible chunks helps you see challenges and make adjustments before it’s too late to pivot to a better solution.

**The Inspire Approach**

With [transparency and collaboration](https://blog.inspiresoftware.com/goal-setting-software-change-your-life), long term corporate strategy can be accomplished in manageable short-term seasons. Contributors can see how and where their role fits into the larger objective, who else is working with them, the resources they have available, and can get an idea for the resources they’ll need throughout these iterations of the overall strategy. Inspire’s [Goal Agility](https://inspiresoftware.com/solutions/goal-science/), for example, allows contributors to leave comments, provide status updates, inform others of their roadblocks, and address engagement issues throughout the pursuit of individual and team goals. Anyone working on or towards a goal can see, at a glance, who’s contributing, how, where they can work together, and what levels of the organization are a part of this goal. The result is better communication, collaboration, and better relationships at work. This kind of transparency makes it easier to pursue long-term business strategy, because everyone is moving in a common direction throughout the organization. It’s not just about one person’s goal, it’s about how it fits into the larger strategic objective.

## The Problem with Behavior-Based Goals

Often when managing individuals, it can be tempting to correct behaviors or habits to fit culture or organizational standards — or perhaps because we believe everyone should be doing something a certain way. But it’s crucial to remember that everyone works differently, and to delineate which behavioral traits are ones that actually hinder productivity. As mentioned above, keep your goal-setting to things that are relevant. If someone is tardy in the mornings but otherwise reliable and productive, maybe it’s better to adapt their schedule rather than trying to force them into a behavior that doesn’t make them any more productive or effective at their job. Additionally, trying to change an individual’s behavior can come across as micromanaging and demoralizing, particularly if it has no bearing on their work ethic or results. Placing too much stress on how and when employees do something [can have cataclysmic effects](https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/peps.12206?show_checkout=1&r3_referer=wol&purchase_referrer=archive.news.indiana.edu&tracking_action=preview_click) on workers’ psyches.

**The Inspire Approach**

Through [continuous conversations](https://inspiresoftware.com/solutions/performance-agility/), behavioral discussions can happen in real-time. Rather than setting up a specified goal for correcting behavior, which can feel like micromanaging, leaders can address habits and behavior during timely one-to-one discussions. By opening a dialogue, the employee doesn’t feel like they’re being formally reprimanded or put a behavioral plan, but rather, discussing work style in a [productive conversation](https://blog.inspiresoftware.com/conversation-phrases-improve-leadership-training-today). It allows for the manager to bring up concerns, while providing the employee the opportunity to address why they use certain behaviors or habits. The result may still be correction in the end, but it may also provide a better mutual understanding and stronger bonds between managers and individuals.

Redirecting your goal-setting strategy to suit the modern workplace is an effective way to ensure your goals stay on track with larger business objectives while also remaining relevant and motivating to teams and individuals. [We’d love to tell you more](https://inspiresoftware.com/demo/) about the ways Inspire Software can transform the way you set goals and track their progress on your way to great business results.

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