SMART — Specific Measurable Achievable Realistic Timely (short explanation)

The term SMART is an acronym for:

Specific

Very often, when you examine a particular goal, you will find that it can be broken down into separate, more specific goals. The first step in this process is to ask the five ‘W’ questions:

• What: What do I want to accomplish?
• Why: Specific reasons for accomplishing the goal.
• Who: Who is involved?
• Where: Identify a location.
• Which: Identify requirements and constraints.

In most cases only some of these will be relevant but you should mentally check through all of them to make sure that you are not missing anything.

Measurable

The second term stresses the need for concrete criteria for measuring progress toward the attainment of the goal. The thought behind this is that if a goal is not measurable, it is not possible to know whether a team is making progress towards successful completion.

Whatever format best suits your particular goal will enable you to judge and assess your progress, as you move towards attaining it. It also gives you a real focus on what you have to achieve in certain timeframes, and offers you the opportunity to celebrate that achievement.

Using a measurement also allows a continual focal point for you as you work towards your goal, helping you to ascertain if the original deadline is still realistic. It is important to remain flexible throughout this process as often circumstances occur that you could not have foreseen.

Attainable or Achievable

There is little point in setting a goal that is either too difficult to achieve or beyond your capabilities, as this will only serve to de-motivate you and destroy your self-confidence. The importance of being able to accomplish a goal is equally vital when you are setting goals for others, as it is for yourself.

When setting a goal you must use your knowledge and current skills as a barometer for ensuring that the goal is ‘attainable.’

Alternative variation: Assignable

In this case, you should make sure that given task can be assigned to a specific person or organization. You should not leave it hanging until someone takes care of it, as all tasks should be specifically assigned to the people (organizations) that have had experience in the field and will make sure to complete it in the timely manner.

Relevant

Goals that are relevant to your boss, your team, and your organization will receive the needed support. It is careful analysis of what you want to achieve and where you wish to be that will determine the relevance of your goals. In the workplace, as part of this process, you will need to review any goal you establish against the organization’s mission statement and your own personal objectives, as well as the role you perform.

For example, consider the following: ‘I want to understand how to manage a budget before the start of this financial year so that I can apply for a manager’s role next year.’

A simple test to discover a goal’s relevance can be judged by asking:

‘If I don’t accept this goal is there any detrimental effect on, or is an opportunity missed for, the organization or an individual?’

If the answer to this question is ‘No’ then there is no benefit to the goal or relevance and so it should be discarded.

Time Bound

It is essential that goals have a timeframe or target date. A commitment to a deadline helps a team focus their efforts towards completion of the goal and prevents goals from being overtaken by other, unrelated routine tasks that may arise. A time-restrained goal is intended to establish a sense of urgency. The time restriction you impose provides the necessary impetus to keep you motivated to make things happen.

Summary

In team or project environments, SMART goals are essential. The clarity of the goal, along with its defined measures and relevance to the project, ensure all members know exactly what is required of them and by when.

Key Points

• SMART is an acronym for Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Time Bound.
• Goals should be as specific as possible, even if this means breaking them down.
• If a goal is not measurable, it is not possible to know whether a team is making progress toward successful completion.
  A goal needs to be achievable, but at the same time it must not be too easy.
• A goal that supports or is in alignment with other goals would be considered a relevant goal.
• A time-bound goal is intended to establish a sense of urgency.

Hope you enjoyed this blog, and perhaps it will help you with the latest assignment of the course :)