Effective Goal Setting for Managers - Free eBook in PDF Format
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Book Description - ISBN 978-1-62620-980-0 (32 Pages)
This free eBook will teach you proven strategies for setting goals that will inspire you and your team to make things happen in your organization. It explains how to use the theory of goal setting to set practical targets for you and your team members.
Chapter 1 - Goal Setting for Managers
As well as setting goals for your team as a whole, you will usually be expected to set targets for each team member as part of their annual appraisal process. How successful you are in doing this will have a big influence on not only their productivity but also in how they perceive you as a manager
Chapter 2 - Goal Setting Theories of Locke and Latham
There are three goal setting theories that can help you to be a more effective manager. For example, if a goal is set using the SMART method it may be either too complex or too simplistic. On the other hand, when using the '4CF', a goal statement may be produced that is not as clear as one produced by the SMART method.
Chapter 3 - 4CF Goal Setting for Managers
This method is based on Dr Edwin Locke and Dr Gary Latham's goal setting theory which posits that that there are five fundamental principles to setting effective goals.
Chapter 4 - SMART Goal Setting for Managers
The SMART method of goal setting specifies that all goals should be specific, measurable, attainable, realistic and time-bound.
Chapter 5 - Backwards Goal Setting
This method of goal setting uses the strategy of working backwards from what you want to achieve, which makes it easier to determine the individual steps that are needed.
Chapter 6 - Prioritizing Personal Goals
Prioritizing goals is just as important as setting them as it enables you to work effectively and rationally in attaining those goals that are most important and aid in you completing others.
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Quick to Read and Easy to Understand
This book is helpful for work related goal setting and has some stuff in it that I didn't already know. I like the fact that it explains why SMART is not the only way to set goals.
Sarah Volker
'Valuable Information... for No Cost'
I always thought that setting goals was not dire issue I faced, it's reaching those goals that was always a problem. I've gone through numerous books related to goal setting and achieving those goals, however, most of these books have provided little or no value. They are either too long and drawn out, or they lack the serious approach required for a entrepreneur like myself to take as a credible source of information.
However, I recently stumbled upon a book authored by Team FME which I found to be quite useful. The first thing that struck me as odd about this book was that it's free. Yes, free, which often means that it is just a tactic to lure you in to pull your wallet out and spend money to purchase the "real" content that will add value and help you learn something. But this book was different because it contained a lot of valuable information on setting goals and achieving them, all for no cost.
There are a few aspects I really enjoyed about this book, besides the facts that it is succinct and hits the nail on its head. I didn't have to read through hundreds of pages to pick up a few important points.
To start with, the 4C F model explained in this book has really helped me clearly define achievable goals. The truth is, we all have the capability to set goals, but often, we set ourselves up for failure from the start because those goals are not clearly defined and there is no mapping in terms of how to reach those goals. The 4C F method states that each goal should be evaluated in terms of its Clarity, Challenge, Complexity, and the level of Commitment required to achieve it.
This personally helped me discover what I was doing wrong, which was that I never made a systematic process when making goals. This method truly helped me approach goal setting in an almost scientific and clinical manner, which only assured that I reach a goal every time I set it. I now make sure every goal I set is clear, that I am motivated to attain it, I understand its complexity, and that I allocate the resources needed to achieve the goal within a finite period of time. Lastly, the F for feedback is the glue that holds all these 4 Cs together. It is essential to provide your team and yourself feedback about the progress of each goal, just so everyone is on the same page and that you are truthful to yourself.
So whether I'm telling my sales team about the quota they have to hit the next month or if I'm telling my boys how to complete the tree house by the end of the month, the 4C F model assists us along the way. This method has enabled me to attain 9 out of 10 goals I set in life, whether they are to do with my professional or personal life.
Besides this, there are 2 other methods given in this book to help set goals. The second approach is the SMART method, which stands for Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time Bound. This method is covered in other books I've read but it was clearly described here too. The authors suggest using the two methods together (SMART and 4CF) and I can see how that would help to overcome the limitations of using either one or the other. Obviously, there would be some work involved but it would make sense if the goal was sufficiently important. The last method is Backwards Goal Setting, which I personally didn't find as useful as the other two techniques, but it may work for certain people out there.
However, I recommend people to read this book, regardless of whether they are a homemaker taking care of kids or the CEO of a company. The beauty of it is that anyone can read, understand, and implement the tips mentioned in this book.
Dave Lawrence
Short and Sweet
I rate this book because it is not full of unnecessary padding and one of my goals is to make better use of my time. There are a couple of useful checklists on the website for goal setting as well but these aren't mentioned in the book which is a shame. Also, it was the first time I put a book on my Kindle I didn't buy from Amazon and it took a while to figure out how to do it, although I later found some instructions on the website which would have helped.
Cassy Tooze
Describes Three Complementary Goal Setting Methods
When I found this book I almost passed it up because it was FREE. I am so glad that I didn't. Typically you get what you pay for, but this was NOT the case. This is one of the best books that I have ever read as far as goals are concerned. I have always put a lot of emphasis on goals. I think it's important for me and my team to set goals. My problem has always been achieving those goals. I could not ever figure out where I went wrong. Why am I not meeting my goals? After reading this book I realized that the problem was the way I was setting my goals. I learned from this book to set achievable goals. Even though I have always thought it was important to set goals, I did not know that there were so many beneficial reasons to do it.
As the book states, there are four reasons to set goals. Goals can motivate people to use their time management skills, can keep teams driven to the end of their task, can stimulate team members to go the extra mile, and causes people to use their resourcefulness to make long term choices. This book also puts an emphasis on the importance of the goal that you set and the way you set them. Goals need to be specific. Two factors are used when making a goal. The goal needs to be accepted and also there must be feedback from the team so that your goals can actually be achieved. The book outlines three methods used to set goals. They are 4C F, SMART, and Backward Goal Setting. 4C F is clarity, challenge, complexity, commitment, and feedback. SMART is specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and timely. Backward Goal Setting is working backwards form the end goal. These methods were meant to be used in combination of each other.
Using two ways is the best way to ensure that your goal has been effectively set. By choosing only one of these methods can be good; it can also leave some areas of improvement. I personally realized that I wasn't really using any method to set my goals. I used to choose something that I wanted to accomplish and then tried to make a plan as to how to achieve it. I really liked the 4C F and the SMART methods used together. I feel like using those two together really covers everything needed for me to effectively set my goals.
Also, before this book I wasn't being specific about my goals, which really does make a huge difference in the planning and achievement process. The book uses a great example, instead of say "I want to earn more money", say "I want to earn $500 more a month." To help you set specific goals try to answer Who, What, Where, Why, and Which. If you can answer those questions then your goal should be fairly specific. I really took that example to heart. Most of my goals were very vague. I think that was part of the reason that my goals were ineffective. This was such a beneficial book. It was extremely short and easy to read. I would recommend this book for anyone that needs help on setting goals.
Andrea Castillo
Time Management Skills Examples - These include adopting a 'one-touch' approach to incoming paperwork, optimizing your workspace for efficiency and developing an efficient filing system for electronic documents.
Time Management Strategies - If you want to learn to manage your time better, the first step is to document how you are currently spending it. Surprisingly, most of us do not have an accurate picture of how we spend our time. We may think that we know how long we spend on each task, but these impressions usually turn out to be inaccurate when compared to a detailed time log.
Time Management Tips - Effective time management involves learning to focus on the right things whilst letting go of some of the less important tasks. Whilst time management forwards many proven techniques, you will need to develop a strategy that suits your own needs.
Coping with Stress at Work - At some time or another almost everyone feels as though they have more work than they can cope with. However, not all stress is bad, and it is often cited as a key factor in helping people respond to crises, adapt to change and excel when a peak performance is required; for example, in an interview or presentation. When coping with stress at work, the important thing is not to let your workload grow to the point where you are completely overloaded.
Effective Time Management - Interruptions during the working day not only take up your time, they also have a secondary impact - in that they cost valuable minutes as you get back into what you were doing before the interruption. Some workplace interruptions may be unavoidable, but many are not and you shouldn't feel guilty about reducing your exposure to interruptions as the result will be an increase in your overall efficiency.
Decision Making Techniques - Decision making is an important aspect of time management. For example, when classifying activities on the urgency/importance grid, you will need to be decisive and not procrastinate over each and every activity. Having decided what is important, you then need to progress these tasks quickly and efficiently, and once again decision making will be a key factor in your ability to do this.
Are All of Your Goals SMART - 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.
