Positive Leadership: The Key Essentials of Effective Goals

1. Effective goals are internalised. It does not matter who has set your goals, you have to own and commit to them.
2. Effective goals are nurturing. They should include a developmental element so that significant learning occurs in addition to the targets being achieved.
3. Effective goals are specific. They are clear and unambiguous so that it is obvious when they have been achieved.
4. Effective goals are planned. You should break them down into aligned shorter-term goals, or sub goals, and form a plan for achieving them.
5. Effective goals are in your control. Their achievement should be attainable through your own efforts.
6. Effective goals are reviewed regularly. Regular reviews of progress toward them should be included in the planning process.
7. Effective goals are energising. They should excite and energise you by being challenging in that they are just about achievable, but should also create a level of uncertainty that sustains your motivation, focus and effort.
8. Effective goals are documents. Documenting them in some form and recording progress toward them provides a continual reminder of commitments that can be important when things are tough .

Positive Leadership: The Key Essentials of Effective Goals