2021: Start SMART

Did you leave the house today? Did you wear “real” pants? Nicely done. If we’ve learned anything from 2020, it’s to celebrate small milestones. While you may have loftier targets for the coming year, it is important that they are attainable.

When planning for 2021, your company should set SMART goals — that is Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time-Bound objectives that eliminate guesswork, paint a clear picture of success, and make it simple to track growth and identify missteps. Join us as we break down the SMART goal setting process, complete with examples.

When Setting SMART Goals…

Be (S)pecific

The “S” component of your SMART plan needs to answer the five “Ws”: Who? What? Where? When? and Why?

Let’s say that your intention for 2021 is to update your cyber security. Consider who will be involved — in researching options, in deploying the new cyber security system, in training employees. What do you hope this will lead to? Is it peace of mind? Minimizing time spent deciphering suspicious looking emails? All of the above? Where will the system be implemented? Will this be an in-office initiative or do you have a Bring Your Own Device policy and the rollout will have to extend to employees’ personal devices? When do you hope to start and eventually achieve this target? Lastly, why is updating your cyber security important? (eMazzanti can answer that one.)

Make Them (M)easurable

“I lost a ton of weight on this diet.” “I lost 60 pounds in one year on this diet.” The second diet seems more effective, doesn’t it? That’s because quantifying results make progress more tangible.

To stick with the cyber security update example mentioned above, your company could solidify a timeline for the update, project minutes of downtime per year avoided once it’s executed and identify similarly explicit markers of success.

Ensure Objectives are (A)chievable

When setting goals, be realistic. Take a good, hard look at your organization’s budget, resources and performance history and adjust expectations accordingly. This step of the SMART goal process ensures that you won’t become disillusioned by failing to reach inflated ideals on your path to sustainable improvement.

If your SMART goal is technology-related, our experts are happy to help your team separate the obtainable from the impossible.

Stay (R)elevant

Setting and meeting small, reachable objectives can be exciting, but all of your planning and hard work will go to waste if the goals you set do not serve a greater purpose.

Upgraded cyber security, for example, is relevant to any organization that relies on technology to function.

Keep Goals (T)ime-Bound

Last but not least, have an end in sight. Deadlines inspire urgency, which helps your team stay motivated to move forward. SMART goals have a start and end date, with clearly defined milestones in between.

Take it from us. Time-bound phases are a key component of an eMazzanti consultation. We find that time estimates help our clients know what to expect

When setting goals for the new year, make sure they are SMART ones. If you need help, our expertise is only one call away.