Question

Managers who establish effective goals can enhance the performance of their employees and of their company. The manager in the scenario presented next realizes that goals are essential to improving performance. Goal setting helps motivate employees by clarifying their roles at work and establishing performance objectives. Effective goal setting is more than just asking employees to do their best or to try harder. It requires attention to key goal characteristics that increase intensity and persistence, and ultimately improve performance. The goal of this exercise is to demonstrate your understanding of goal setting by matching each employee’s goal with his or her goal characteristic. Match each employee’s goal with his or her goal characteristic.

1. Achievable Goals
2. Measurable Goals
3. Relevant Goals
4. Time-Frame Goals
5. Specific Goals
6. Reviewed Goals
Match each of the options above to the items below.
Carlos’ goal is to reduce average loan processing by fifteen percent within the next 6 months.
Michelle is a salesperson. Her goal is to increase the number of sales calls made to potential customers.
Sam has been reviewing customer accounts at a rate of two per day. His goal is to double that rate. That is possible, but he’ll have to work hard and be creative to reach this goal.
Chen has been given a project, and his manager clearly communicated the quantity and quality expectations to him.
Elizabeth has just been given a project which needs to be completed within 6 weeks.
Kelly is most excited about adopting goals because it means she’ll finally have a clear measure of how well she is doing.

Answer 1

Carlos’ goal is to reduce average loan processing by fifteen percent within the next 6 months. - REVIEWED GOALS

Reviewed goals are those that can be juxtaposed against previous performance to see if a better performance was put in. Carlos will review his performance at the end of 6 months.

Michelle is a salesperson. Her goal is to increase the number of sales calls made to potential customers. - RELEVANT GOALS

Relevant goals are those that relate to the job they are made for. Michelle is a salesperson so her having a goal of increasing calls to potentials is relevant to her job.

Sam has been reviewing customer accounts at a rate of two per day. His goal is to double that rate. That is possible, but he’ll have to work hard and be creative to reach this goal. - ACHIEVABLE GOALS.

Acheivable goals are just that, acheivable. Sam's goal to double his reviewing rate is said to be possible so it is achievable.

Chen has been given a project, and his manager clearly communicated the quantity and quality expectations to him. SPECIFIC GOALS.

Specific goals have set targets that should be met and in giving Chen clearly communicated quantity and quality expectations, Chen's manager has given him specific goals.

Elizabeth has just been given a project which needs to be completed within 6 weeks. TIME-FRAME GOALS.

Time-frame goals as implied are goals that have to be completed within a certain time period. Elizabeth has to complete this project in 6 weeks so this is a time-frame goal.

Kelly is most excited about adopting goals because it means she’ll finally have a clear measure of how well she is doing. MEASURABLE GOALS.

Measurable goals relate with the name and can be measured or enable one to measure something else. Kelly will be able to measure how she is doing with these goals of hers so they are measurable goals.