Goal Setting
Goal Setting
(OP)
I'll tell you what...
I've been doing project work for 20 years and every year it's the same:
***Email from manager***
"It's goal setting time! Set your goals for the next year please and make sure they are S.M.A.R.T. (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, Timely)"
***/end email***
What I invariably do is make my goals a couple of projects I'm on with the deliverables being the measurable items associated with them, but doing this leaves me feeling "empty".
Goal setting shouldn't be just "doing what I'm supposed to do in my job". It's supposed to be growing, learning amd expanding yourself. With the weight of project work I typically see every year, figuring out some "attainable" self improvement goals is next to impossible. I don't have enough time to finish my project work.
My question to fellow members:
Any suggestions?
Ideas?
Thoughts?
Your input is appreciated.
I've been doing project work for 20 years and every year it's the same:
***Email from manager***
"It's goal setting time! Set your goals for the next year please and make sure they are S.M.A.R.T. (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, Timely)"
***/end email***
What I invariably do is make my goals a couple of projects I'm on with the deliverables being the measurable items associated with them, but doing this leaves me feeling "empty".
Goal setting shouldn't be just "doing what I'm supposed to do in my job". It's supposed to be growing, learning amd expanding yourself. With the weight of project work I typically see every year, figuring out some "attainable" self improvement goals is next to impossible. I don't have enough time to finish my project work.
My question to fellow members:
Any suggestions?
Ideas?
Thoughts?
Your input is appreciated.





RE: Goal Setting
If you want to set yourself more lofty goals for your personal satisfaction, keep them private.
RE: Goal Setting
If you want some real personal goals go ahead and set them for your self, maybe even discuss with your direct boss if you get on well, but don't let it get written up into this type of HR nonsense.
What is Engineering anyway: FAQ1088-1484: In layman terms, what is "engineering"?
RE: Goal Setting
TTFN
FAQ731-376: Eng-Tips.com Forum Policies
RE: Goal Setting
Upper Management sets the raise rates - say 3% - mostly everybody gets it - unless they are total screw ups. So why waste the time??
RE: Goal Setting
Pamela K. Quillin, P.E.
Quillin Engineering, LLC
RE: Goal Setting
At work, the important thing is to set goals so that you can accomplish what you want - which is usually higher pay. Figure out how the system works, and use it to maximize what you can put in your pocket. I can guarantee you that this is what your bosses are doing.
RE: Goal Setting
They could be asking you to develop One Page Plans, synergizing them with the Corporate One Page Plans, getting you to identify your BHAGS (Big Hairy Audacious Goals), and keeping five of your Big Rocks on your desk.
I kept six Big Rocks on my desk until I drank one of them. Now I keep the remaining five of them in my desk. HR has advised me to not mention that in my One Page Plan, unless I want to be escorted out by a BHAG (Big Hag).
Don't know where "management science" dreams up all this stuff, but engineers tend to view it in a similar light.
Life was simpler when bosses or "managers" knew what they wanted you to do, told you to do it, and then when you did it, they gave you money.
RE: Goal Setting
It is difficult on an individual level, but if you are in a supervisory role or a team leader of sorts, you can probably state what you hope your team is to accomplish. Team objectives are easier to define.
RE: Goal Setting
Isn't that why they say don't work with children or animals, you can tell them what to do, persuade them or even try to force them but they may not do what you wan't. If your measurable goals are reliant on other people doing their jobs properly, regardless of how you conduct your work, then I would be worried about leaving it in their hands. Even good managers can have bad staff to work with, no matter how many management strategies you try to employ to improve the situation.
Even as a manager I would try to keep most of my goals and KPIs separate from the teams goals. However some of them will always be one and the same when in management. Depends on the management objectives (business or technical) and the company.
RE: Goal Setting
My suggestion is to state goals that you will automatically accomplish throughout the year. Do not create a lofty goal that you have to try to wrap up at the end of the year.
I think most companies will have you score yourself. So always use the highest score for each goal. It's fun to see which ones they knock down (because, of course, no one can make a perfect score).
I enjoy telling the boss that goals are useless, busy work, etc every year. He just shakes his head and says, "Yeah, I known, but HR makes us do this".
RE: Goal Setting
In reality it meams the managers achieve their goals if we achieve ours, and they get the big bonus and pay rise and we keep on slogging away.
Every year I ask my manager, why do I fill in the goals when I have to wait for yours anyway - why don't you just fill in the goals for eveyone and just get us to sign a piece of paper?........
This year my goal is to work only 20 hours a week - that is S.M.A.R.T. (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, Timely) and if I can achieve it I get a bonus, Yippee.
RE: Goal Setting
If they don't ask for such type of BS, what else would there
be for them to try to prove they are of any use at all ?
RE: Goal Setting
Good on ya,
Goober Dave
Haven't see the forum policies? Do so now: Forum Policies
RE: Goal Setting
Pamela K. Quillin, P.E.
Quillin Engineering, LLC
RE: Goal Setting
I think here integration is very important. Any of us could have a goal for our different aspects of our life let say our family, work, financial, education, learning and so on. But to be successful integration is very important. In case of work, if we could be able to integrate our personal goal in different aspects like professorial development, team development, health and safety and make it integrated with the project organizational goals or the organizational goals then it would be a success.
Regards,
SKPA
RE: Goal Setting
It was introduced with some fanfare as what turned out to be part of another orbit of the drain.
I set three goals, and accomplished two of them. Got the forms signed, and forgot about it.
Then I got downsized.
A year later, I got a check in the mail.
I called Payroll to inquire why.
I had forgotten about the goal setting program,
and that since money was involved,
it was administered by Payroll,
which kept it honest.
Mike Halloran
Pembroke Pines, FL, USA
RE: Goal Setting
http://search.dilbert.com/comic/Goals
RE: Goal Setting
Therefore, all were a waist of time.
Chris
SolidWorks 11
ctopher's home
SolidWorks Legion
RE: Goal Setting
Was that a pinched waist?
B.E.
The good engineer does not need to memorize every formula; he just needs to know where he can find them when he needs them. Old professor
RE: Goal Setting
SKPA - could you point the rest of us to a source for the management elixir that you have been drinking? seems like some mighty potent stuff. :)
Otherwise, I completely agree with Snorgy et al. It is best to get one's managers goals before writing yours, and its best to write one's goals in the vaguest possible terms and make sure they are not dependent on the performance of anyone else.
SW
RE: Goal Setting
Yes, very much so.
Chris
SolidWorks 11
ctopher's home
SolidWorks Legion