Goals Have a Dark Side - Here’s How to Avoid It
Did you know your goals can have a dark side? That’s right. Shame, oppression, control, resistance and damage to larger business goals can all happen when our goals are misunderstood, unclear, inflexible or forced upon us.
If you’re struggling because your goals aren’t being met and your team isn't feeling happy or experiencing a positive relationship with its goals, I’m here to walk you through how to turn things around. Goals are an integral part of leadership and team engagement, and a steady tool within our own coaching work for countless clients. When developed right, they motivate and create forward progress.
In the blog I share three important insights about goals, along with the SMART Framework, to help you set clear goals and avoid their painful dark side.
Three Things to Know About Goals
1. The purpose of a goal is to motivate and create progress.
“Your relationship to your goal is just as important as the goal itself in determining success.”
Contrary to popular belief, the main purpose of a goal is not about actually achieving the goal! If a goal is not met, but it creates forward progress, the gap becomes a positive learning opportunity.
Remember – goals can change to reflect the outcomes and forward progress. While the commitment they foster can be helpful, they don't need to lock us in.
2. Goal conversations should be bi-directional and co-owned.
If you need to give a goal to someone, try to actively involve them in the goal-setting process. Getting their input and feedback on the goal - whether it’s realistic and the right goal - can help build motivation and ownership.
Remember, the relationship to the goals is just as important as the goals themselves in determining success. For the goal to do its job (motivation), team members need to feel that the goal is THEIRS to own.
3. Beware of the dark side of goals.
I said it before and I’ll say it again: goals have two sides, and it’s easy to slip into their dark side if you’re not careful. Be on the lookout for situations where goals are creating the opposite effect of inspiration, motivation and positive accountability.
Examples include goals creating pressure that stifles creativity, procrastination due to vague or disconnected goals and an obsession with goal progress that leads to negativity and burnout.
Avoid the Dark Side of Goals with the SMART Framework
Use the SMART goal-setting framework to co-create new goals for your business, team as a whole and team members individually. This framework gives you multiple ways you can engage your team members on defining the goal.
Specific: how can you make your goal really specific for maximum clarity?
Measurable: what metrics are you going to use to track progress and signal when the goal has been achieved?
Achievable: what’s realistic in terms of timing, resources and circumstances?
Relevant: what aligns with your objectives and your team’s objectives?
Time-bound: what’s the target completion date to create the right dose of motivation?
Conclusion
Goals have two sides – the positive side of clarity, motivation and forward motion, and a dark side rooted in shame, burnout and disconnection. It’s on us as leaders to be more aware of the purpose of goals and the impact they can have on our people, and adjust accordingly. Thankfully, us leaders can practice improving the ability to deeply understand the purpose of our goals and implement transparent frameworks to create positive, useful goals that drive progress.
Leaders, if you’re struggling with the dark side of goals, we can help you set better goals that are achievable, positive and impactful for your teams.
