Final answer:
Strategic goals should be specific, challenging, and measurable, aligning with the SMART criteria, which encompasses specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound aspects to ensure they provide clear guidance and allow for tracking of progress.
Step-by-step explanation:
True, strategic goals should indeed be specific, challenging, and measurable. When crafting strategic goals, using the SMART criteria is highly recommended. This acronym stands for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound. Goals that are too broad or general cannot guide action effectively. Instead, a goal should be specific in nature to ensure that there is clarity in what is to be achieved.
To determine if progress is being made towards achieving a goal, it should be measurable. This can involve quantifiable targets or progress milestones that are concrete and observable.
Furthermore, goals need to be achievable and appropriate, considering whether the barriers to reaching the goal can be overcome. This involves planning and developing a tangible Action Plan to detail how the goal can and will be achieved.
It is also critical for goals to be relevant, meaning they should support other goals and make sense within the broader context of what is trying to be accomplished. They must also be time-bound, with a clear target date or deadline to foster a sense of urgency and help measure progress more accurately.