Your team member continues to miss SMART goals. How can you help them turn things around?
When a team member consistently misses their SMART goals—Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound—it's a clear sign that something isn't working in the performance management process. It's not just about setting goals; it's about providing the right support and environment to achieve them. If you're in a position to guide and support, there are several strategies you can employ to help your team member turn things around and start meeting their objectives.
The first step in addressing missed goals is to reassess them. Ensure that each goal set for your team member adheres to the SMART criteria. Sometimes, goals may be unrealistic or not sufficiently aligned with the individual's abilities or resources. Sit down with your team member and review each goal. Ask probing questions to understand their perspective and make sure the goals are specific enough to guide action, measurable for tracking progress, achievable within their skillset, relevant to their role, and time-bound with clear deadlines.
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Silvia Velásquez Avila
Leadership, Team & Executive Coach | Quality & Food Safety Consultant | Author | Specialist in Leaders & Teams development, surfing their crises with agility until reaching an Outstanding Performance
Como Coach de Equipos de Alto Rendimiento, mi enfoque para ayudar a los colaboradores a alcanzar sus objetivos SMART incluye comprender profundamente sus desafíos, fortalecer la confianza y ajustar objetivos de manera realista. Juntos, desarrollamos planes de acción personalizados, manteniendo un coaching continuo para asegurar progreso y autonomía. Cultivamos un ambiente de equipo positivo, celebrando cada éxito para inspirar un crecimiento constante y una colaboración efectiva.
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Susan Notaras
Performance Leadership Coach | Influential Thought Leadership | Maxwell Leadership Coach | Recruiting and Teaming Expert
Revisiting their “why” is the first step in uncovering reasons for missing goals. Is their “why” really important to them or is it something they just wrote in because it sounded like it SHOULD be their why. Next step is to uncover limiting beliefs - beliefs that get in the way of the “why”, that hold a person back and cause them to falter on their way to success. Another step is to revisit benchmarks - are they realistic and do they reflect progress? Goal setting is an exercise in self-reflection, self-awareness and self-confidence. When you bet on yourself and set yourself up for success, you win.
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Nikita Vithlani
MBA Candidate | Recruiting Techniques | Personnel Management
Schedule a meeting to review the SMART goals that have been missed. Understand the reasons behind the misses. Is it due to unclear expectations, lack of resources, skills gaps, or other factors? Determine what support or resources the team member needs to succeed. This could include additional training, mentoring, access to tools or information, or reassignment of tasks.
Once goals are confirmed to be SMART, look into the support systems in place. Your team member may need additional resources, training, or guidance to achieve their objectives. Discuss what obstacles they're facing and work together to find solutions. This might mean adjusting workloads, providing mentorship, or connecting them with professional development opportunities. Remember, your role is to facilitate their success, not just to set expectations.
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Susan Notaras
Performance Leadership Coach | Influential Thought Leadership | Maxwell Leadership Coach | Recruiting and Teaming Expert
People miss goals for four basic reasons which are either they don’t know WHY they are doing something, WHAT they should be doing, HOW to do it, or WHEN to do it. Or all four at the same time (which spells disaster).
Regularly monitoring progress is crucial for goal attainment. Set up frequent check-ins to discuss the status of each SMART goal. These meetings should be a safe space for open communication about any challenges or setbacks. Use this time to celebrate small victories as well, which can boost morale and motivation. This consistent oversight will help keep your team member on track and show that you are invested in their success.
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Susan Notaras
Performance Leadership Coach | Influential Thought Leadership | Maxwell Leadership Coach | Recruiting and Teaming Expert
Let the team member set the time and the agenda so they can take ownership of the process. Tell your team member “How best can I support you? Help me help you”.
If a team member is still struggling despite SMART goals being set and support provided, it might be time to adjust strategies. Consider whether the approach to the goals needs to change. This could involve breaking down larger goals into smaller, more manageable tasks or reevaluating the methods being used to achieve them. Flexibility in approach can often be the key to overcoming hurdles and making progress.
Encouraging ownership of goals is vital for personal motivation. Help your team member take responsibility for their objectives by involving them in the goal-setting process and decision-making related to their work. When individuals feel a sense of ownership, they are more likely to be committed to the outcome. Empower them by asking for their input on how they can meet their goals and let them lead the way in finding solutions.
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Susan Notaras
Performance Leadership Coach | Influential Thought Leadership | Maxwell Leadership Coach | Recruiting and Teaming Expert
Goals that are set without the input of the team aren’t goals, they are orders. If the team doesn’t understand how the goal was set or why it is important in the bigger picture, they cannot buy into its success.
Finally, use missed goals as learning opportunities. Reflecting on what didn't work is as important as celebrating what did. Encourage your team member to analyze their performance and identify areas for improvement. This reflection should be constructive and forward-looking, focusing on how lessons learned can be applied to future goals. By fostering a growth mindset, you help build resilience and adaptability in your team members.
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Susan Notaras
Performance Leadership Coach | Influential Thought Leadership | Maxwell Leadership Coach | Recruiting and Teaming Expert
Sometimes you win, sometimes you fail, always you learn. Take time to look for the lesson, examine areas where the team could have performed better or created a different outcome and use for the next round of goals setting. Not every goal is achievable or has value in the big picture.
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