H ow t o Us e SM AR T G oal s

- Achieve more in less time

Prepared by
ASIF KABIR
Department of Mechanical Engineering
Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET)
Introduction
 Goal Setting System  SMART Goals
 Specific
 Achieve More  Measurable
 Less Time  Actionable
 Relevant
 Gain Clarity  Time Bound
 Common Errors
 C h e c k Yo u r L i s t
 How Specific?
 Goals, Visions, Resolutions?
 Right for SMART?
Specific
 Vi s i o n , R e s o l u t i o n , G o a l ?  Vi s i o n : I d e a l S t a t e
 Cure Cancer
 Benefits of Being Specific
 End World Hunger
 When Specific is a Bad thing
 Conquer the World
 I Resolve to be Goal  Resolution
 Healthy Run a Marathon  General
 Wealthy Become a Millionaire  No End State
 Wise Graduate from College
 Being Specific
Goal vs Vision
 Can Modify  Ideal
 Can Resolve  Perfect State
 Specific + Challenging  Vo g u e G o a l s
OR
= Higher Success = Lower Performance
 When Specific is a Bad thing
 Lead to Tunnel Vision
 Restrict Creativity  For Example: Class Test
 Lead to Unethical Behavior

Specific is the foundation for SMART

Performance Vs Outcome Measure
M e a s u r e w h a t y o u m a n a g e d o n ’t m a n a g e w h a t y o u m e a s u r e !

 Outcome Measure  Performance Measure

 Actions
 End result
 Eat < 2000 Calories
 170 Pounds  Go to Gym 3x a Week
 5 Pound Milestone  Eat an Apple a Day

So Use BOTH Performance Vs Outcome Measure

 Decide what you will  For Example:
Manage Fitbit Watch
 Find the right  Distance Walked
M a n a g e m e n t To o l  Stairs Climbed
Tr i a n g u l a t i o n
 Ta k e R e s o u r c e s
 High Consequences Goal

“What Get Measured

Gets Managed”
How to use Actionable not Achievable
 C o n q u e r t h e Wo r l d ! ! W h y n o t A c h i e v a b l e ?
 Unachievable?  Actionable
 Running less than a  Establish Initial Actions
 Establish Milestones
4 Minute Mile!
 Human Flight
 Landing on The
MOON
 Tr a n s p l a n t i n g a
Human Heart
Set Challenging Stretch Goals,
Exhaustive Plan is Unnecessary!
No Plan Survives Contact Intact.
Why RELEVANT?
 No Method to Manage Multiple Goals!

 Why Relevant?
 Va l u e / E f f o r t M a t r i x
 Pareto Principle
Pareto
Principle
80/20 Rule
Time Bound
 Research Say “Shorter-Frequent feedback is more
effective than delayed feedback”
 Action/Feedback Loops  The Planning Fallacy
 Process  Overestimate Our Ability
 The Planning Fallacy  U n d er e s ti m a te Ti m e/ Re s o ur c e s
Time Bound
 In One study they use students and ask how long it will
take for them to complete a term paper?
 T h e Av e r a g e G u e s s w a s 3 4 d a y s !
 Best case Scenario 27.5 days!
 Wo r s t c a s e S c e n a r i o 1 4 d a y s !
 Actual time 55.5 days.
 This Project took 10 years longer than
expected!
 Initial Budget was 7 million but Actual
cost was 102 million!
 Why are we such horrible planners! Attribution Theory
 This theory “Base your Estimates your past performance”
S e v e n C o m m o n E r ro r s P e o p l e M a k e W h e n S e t t i n g G o a l s

1. N o t Wr i t i n g d o w n y o u r g o a l s
2. Having too many goals
3. Goals in Only one area
4. Not keeping goals visible
5. Not establishing stretch goals
6. Not identifying the next action
7. Not aligning your goals with your vision
REFERENCES
 I especially enjoy the research by Edwin Locke. 
 Fishbach, A., & Dhar, R. (2005). Goals as excuses or guides: The liberating effect of perceived goal
progress on choice. Journal of Consumer Research, 32(3), 370-377.  
 Gollwitzer, P. M., & Sheeran, P. (2006). Implementation intentions and goal achievement: A meta‐
analysis of effects and processes. Advances in experimental social psychology, 38, 69-119.
 Lawlor, K. B. (2012). SMART Goals: How the application of SMART goals can contribute to
achievement of student learning outcomes. Developments in Business Simulation and Experiential
Learning, 39.
 Locke, E. A. (1996). Motivation through conscious goal setting. Applied and preventive
psychology, 5(2), 117-124.
 Locke, E. A., & Latham, G. P. (2002). Building a practically useful theory of goal setting and task
motivation: A 35-year odyssey. American psychologist, 57 (9), 705.
 Locke, E. A., & Latham, G. P. (2006). New directions in goal-setting theory. Current directions in
psychological science, 15(5), 265-268.
 Ordóñez, L. D., Schweitzer, M. E., Galinsky, A. D., & Bazerman, M. H. (2009). Goals gone wild: The
systematic side effects of overprescribing goal setting. The Academy of Management
Perspectives, 23(1), 6-16. 
REFERENCES
 Fishbach, Ayelet, and Ravi Dhar. "Goals as excuses or guides: The liberating effect of perceived goal progress on
choice." Journal of Consumer Research 32.3 (2005): 370-377.
 Gollwitzer, Peter M., and Paschal Sheeran. "Implementation intentions and goal achievement: A meta ‐analysis of
effects and processes." Advances in experimental social psychology 38 (2006): 69-119.
 Lawlor, K. Blaine. "Smart goals: How the application of smart goals can contribute to achievement of student
learning outcomes." Developments in Business Simulation and Experiential Learning: Proceedings of the Annual
ABSEL Conference. Vol. 39. 2012.
 Locke, Edwin A. "Motivation through conscious goal setting." Applied and preventive psychology 5.2 (1996): 117-
124.
 Locke, Edwin A., and Gary P. Latham. "Building a practically useful theory of goal setting and task motivation: A
35-year odyssey." American psychologist 57.9 (2002): 705.
 Locke, Edwin A., and Gary P. Latham. "New directions in goal-setting theory." Current directions in psychological
science 15.5 (2006): 265-268.
 Ordóñez, Lisa D., et al. "Goals gone wild: The systematic side effects of overprescribing goal setting." Academy of
Management Perspectives 23.1 (2009): 6-16.
 Keller, Lucas, Maik Bieleke, and Peter M. Gollwitzer. "Mindset Theory of Action Phases and If-Then Planning."
Social Psychology in Action. Springer, Cham, 2019. 23-37.
 Locke, Edwin A., and Gary P. Latham. "The development of goal setting theory: A half century retrospective."
Motivation Science 5.2 (2019): 93.
BONUS (Time Management)
BONUS (Time Management)