MANAGEMENT & LEADERSHIP SKILLS

The Power of One

Minute Goal Setting
BY KEN BLANCHARD

Updated April 05, 2019

If you're a business leader, you learned in Leadership 101 that goal setting is the most
powerful motivational tool in a leader’s toolkit. But, as the business world evolves, you
need to evolve with it and make sure your goal setting skills are up-to-date.

In the past, top-down leadership was a way of life, and the leader always set the goals.
Today, leadership is more of a partnership than a superior-subordinate relationship.
Hence, effective goal setting is a collaborative effort. If you set goals without involving
your employees, people will feel left out of the process, and you won't get the passion
and buy-in you need.

On the flip-side, there are some organizations that leave the goal setting completely up
to the employees. While this reversal may be comfortable for the employees, it results in
people working on separate projects not aligned with the organization’s overall goals.
Or, employee’s may only focus on existing skills. As a result, the organization and the
employee fail to grow.

To achieve the best results, and greatest satisfaction, leaders, and direct reports should
work together to set goals aligned with the organization’s objectives. And, some degree
of challenge should be offered to employees.

In the classic "The New One Minute Manager," leaders learn how they can achieve
results and satisfaction with today’s One Minute Goal Setting.
Collaborate
Instead of setting goals for your direct reports, listen to their input and work side-by-side
with them to develop clear, specific goals. Make sure you both understand what the
direct report’s responsibilities are and what they'll be accountable for. In many
organizations, when you ask people what they do and then ask their boss, you often get
two different answers. Clear communication can prevent this misfit.

Limit
Don’t set too many goals. People with too many goals can lose track of what’s important
and spend time on the easiest goals, not the high priority goals. Keep in mind the 80/20
rule which stipulates that 80% of your most important results should come from 20% of
your set goals. Therefore, you should set goals on only that 20% that targets key areas
of responsibility which amounts to three to five goals.

Write it Down
After you and your direct report agree on the most important goals, have the direct
report write down each goal, what specifically needs to be done and the deadline. Keep
it simple at one or paragraphs so the goal can be read and reviewed in about a minute.

One benefit of having concise, well-defined goals is that in follow-up conversations you
can focus on tasks, not the person. It helps prevent demoralizing conversations where
you’re giving feedback such as, “You're not performing well.” Instead, you can discuss
the fact that a specific goal was not accomplished. Together, you and your subordinate
can discuss what you can both do to complete the project.

Review
Make sure your direct report looks at their goals daily, so they stay focused on what’s
important. If they're spending time on activities unrelated to their goals, encourage them
to adjust what they’re doing and refocus. Be sure to check back with your direct report
at regular intervals to see how their goals are progressing and acknowledge their
progress.

Working collaboratively on goals has the added benefit of improving the relationship
between you and your direct report. People become more passionate and engaged
when they feel their boss is invested in their success. And don’t be surprised if you
become more passionate and engaged as well.

One Minute Goal Setting Review

1. Plan the goals together and describe them briefly and clearly. Show people what
good performance looks like
2. Have people write out each of their goals including deadlines
3. Ask subordinates to review their most important goals each day, which should
take only a few minutes
4. Encourage people to take a minute to look at what they’re working on and if it
matches their key goals
5. If a direct report is not in-synch with key goals, encourage them to re-think their
daily activity

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Ken Blanchard is the cofounder The Ken Blanchard Companies, an international

management training and consulting firm. In addition to starting his own business, he
also teaches students in the Master of Science in Executive Leadership Program at the
University of San Diego.