Research smart. Setting SMART goals: technology, criteria, examples

We really envy people who know how to manage their time. They manage to do everything: earn millions, raise children, spend vacations with their families and not forget about their hobbies. SMART goal setting technology helps you achieve your goals with minimal costs.

A fulfilling life involves constant improvement - physical and intellectual. Effective and meaningful movement always involves striving to achieve a goal. A correctly chosen and defined goal gives meaning to our actions, streamlines our efforts, and justifies our expenses.

The reached peak will become a platform, starting from which we will be able to conquer new frontiers. Chaotic impulses and impulsive actions are interesting to watch from the outside, comedies entertain, but it’s a pity to waste time throwing around without a visible goal and with an unpredictable result.

What are SMART goals

A correctly defined goal is half the success. Agree, in the race called “life”, it is not so much the speed that is important, but the direction of movement. SMART is one of the most popular goal setting techniques.

From English, “smart” is translated as “cunning, intelligent, savvy,” but the name of the technique proposed by Peter Drucker in 1954 is an abbreviation, each letter of which denotes a criterion for setting tasks:

• “S” – specific – specific
• “M” – measurable – measurable
• “A” – achievable – achievable
• “R” – relevant – relevant
• “T” – time-bound – limited in time

S – The goal must be specific

The task should be clear - not something vague and distant. You must know what you want in order to turn your dreams into real achievements.

M – Measurability of achievements

Moral satisfaction is very good, but expressed evaluation criteria are still better. When a manager incites his subordinates with calls: “Work better!”, this means that he has not developed a scale for assessing work results. Accordingly, the team has no understanding of its goals. A smart goal looks like this: “By the end of the month, sales should increase by 15%.” In this case, a unit of labor assessment appears, that is, the result can be measured in percentages, rubles, kilograms, pieces, number of clients, etc.

A – Reality and Achievability

Many personal growth guides tell us to think positively, believe in success, and materialize our fantasies. Perhaps in some cases these recommendations are useful, but they certainly will not help to regrow a pulled out tooth or get higher education or buy a car.

Fantasy goals will help you immerse yourself in a world of illusions, but when you emerge from it, you will find that you never took part in a safari, did not receive a Harvard diploma, and did not swim across the ocean on an inflatable mattress. Alas, even the most positive fantasies are not capable of creating a miracle, moreover, miracles, it seems, do not happen at all... Don’t be upset - keep dreaming free time, for example, before bedtime - this helps to fall asleep faster and see good dream. After awakening, you will be full of new strength, you will be able to sensibly assess your capabilities and set realistic goals. Let’s say, in order to get a good education and, as a result, get an interesting and highly paid job, the following goals are suitable:

• Admission to higher education educational institution.
• Attend classes and study conscientiously.
• Self-education.

R – Understanding the relevance of the goal

You must understand why you need to achieve a certain goal, then motivation and incentive to action will appear.

If the father of five minor children dreams of traveling to Tibet, one can understand him, but it is unlikely that the goal can be realized, because this moment it is not paramount. The urgent task is to earn enough so that children are fed, clothed, shod, and educated. At the same time, you can prepare for your trip to the Tibetan lamas by studying relevant literature and meditating.

Without “aggravating” circumstances, a smart goal could be formulated something like this: “In two years I will go to Tibet, then I will have three months of vacation, a sufficient amount of money and minimal knowledge.”

T – Time frame

The desire to get rich cannot be considered a smart goal, firstly, because there is no specific amount of wealth, and secondly, the time allotted to achieve the result is not defined. It’s a completely different matter: “Earn $100,000 in three years selling clothes (fruits, cars, etc.)” or: “Learn English in a year and start looking for work in the USA.”

A mandatory step towards completing a task is a motivated, realistic and specific goal.

What brings you closer to your goal

Visualization

The power of thought can indeed work wonders, but not at all because dreams miraculously materialize. If you imagine a time every day when you will achieve your desired goal, be sure to set yourself up for action to bring that moment closer. You will get used to the idea that everything should be subject to movement in the right direction.

Self-confidence

One of the main rules of the smart system is a positive attitude towards life. You must believe that you will succeed, and encourage yourself with affirmations that set you up for victory: “I will succeed! I am strong!". It’s even better to write down your goals, and at the same time you can formulate tasks. Experts who study the science of goal setting recommend starting with 50 life goals, and gradually expanding the list to 100.

Creativity

When thinking over the path to your goal, think creatively and look for extraordinary solutions. Everyone who achieved real success was a creative person, even if they didn’t know the word. An example of a person who was not afraid of non-trivial actions is John Rockefeller. When he bet his entire fortune on oil, even his partner did not believe in luck. The same mindset was possessed by the entrepreneur who risked installing paid toilet stalls on the city streets. Then, too, many gloated in anticipation of a resounding failure. Positive and enterprising people almost always achieve their goals.

How it works

Let's look at a simple example of how the SMART system works. Probably, the desire to “earn more” is familiar to everyone. Now let's try to transform the dream into a smart goal.

1. Let's specify the goal. More – how much? Let's start with the figure 20,000 rubles. per month, that is, you want to receive 20 thousand rubles more every month.
2. At the same time, we determined the unit of measurement - rubles.
3. Is this goal achievable? It’s quite possible if you take concrete steps and don’t wait for money to start falling from the sky.
4. How to really increase your earnings? Is it possible to increase the duration of work or increase its cost? How about receiving passive income from a deposit or renting out a home? You may have your own methods, if such an opportunity is discovered, we continue moving.
5. The method you choose cannot harm important aspect life. We need to find a way that doesn't interfere family life, rest, maintaining health, etc.
6. When do you plan to achieve the desired result? Let's say 5 months.

In practice, you first need to formulate a goal and test it using the SMART method. This way you will discover some pitfalls already at the first stage. Next, you need to concentrate on achieving your goal and direct maximum efforts to move in the right direction. By specifying what you want, you can better understand what exactly you are waiting for. With SMART you can filter out the worthwhile advice you receive from other people.

When is the SMART technique useful?

• According to SMART, you should not plan things for the long term - the situation is constantly changing and your goal may lose relevance.
• In some cases, it is not so much the result that is important as the movement in the chosen direction. The technique in this case will be useful with certain reservations.
• SMART involves taking actions to achieve a goal. Just making a plan and having the most positive attitude towards life is unlikely to be effective.
• If you are prone to spontaneous actions and they bring positive results, the SMART technique is not for you.

SMART goals are an extremely useful tool for a leader. These are the requirements for setting goals both for subordinates and for yourself.

The essence of SMART goals. Any goal we set or work towards must be SMART (“smart”). This means the goal should be:

• S specific
• M easurable (measurable)
• A ttainable
• R elevant (comparable, relevant)
• T ime-bound (time-bound)

Only when the goal meets all requirements SMART, only then does it begin to work as a management tool.

Let's take a closer look. For convenience, let’s take an alternative abbreviation for SMART goals in Cyrillic DISCO goals. So the goals should be:

Achievable — When setting a goal, the subordinate must understand that the goal can be achieved and that the result is quite ambitious. The goal should fall under the definition of “difficult, but achievable.”

Measurable- the goal must be measurable so that you can know that it has been achieved.

Comparable — the subordinate must understand how the set goal relates to the goals of the department (unit) and other goals of the employee.

Specific the subordinate must understand what these goals are.
Limited in time and other resources — resource boundaries must be defined for each goal.

Let's look at some production examples SMART goals

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How to set SMART goals

Smart goals example:

Independently, by August 15, 2013, select at least 3 candidates to fill the vacated position of production support manager who meet the qualification requirements for the position.

Smart goals example:

By the end of the 4th quarter of 2012, reduce the number of overtime hours worked by employees during the preparation of tax reporting by 30% compared to what is currently available without attracting additional funds.

Setting a goal using smart example:

Ivanova (senior warehouseman at the raw materials warehouse) is undergoing a planned operation. By April 1, 2011, Ivanova must independently prepare storekeeper Petrova to transfer to her the responsibilities of performing the functions of a senior storekeeper.

How not to set SMART goals:

Examples of smart goals(how not to set goals)

To increase sales volume, complete work with the client base by the end of 2013.

Smart goals(anti-example)

Based on the results of the audit, 18 comments were identified. They urgently need to be corrected.

Smart goals(anti-example)

Conduct an analysis of the reasons leading to errors in accounting for shipped finished products without the involvement of internal auditors.

Watch Evgeniy Nedelin’s mini-lecture “SMART Goals”

Pay attention to the training program, which details the tools of an effective leader, including SMART goals.

Articles on the topic:

The SMART method is a classic method for defining a goal and achieving it effectively. This technology was developed in 1954 by Peter Drucker, an American management guru of the 20th century. The SMART goal setting method is described in his fundamental work “The Practice of Management”.

Structure of the SMART goal setting methodology

This standard, which has five most important target categories in its structure, is still popular today. In practice, it is used by managers all over the world. The name comes from the abbreviation following criteria goals:

• S specific - specific;
• M easurable – measurable;
• A ttainable – achievable;
• R elevant – relevant;
• T imed - limited in time.

The full abbreviation also has a quite suitable translation: smart is “smart”.

Description of the main criteria for goal setting

It should be understandable and accessible not only to you personally, but also to those around you. If a goal is poorly defined, your subconscious mind will not be able to simply “recognize” it, and as a result, the risk of achieving it increases. A clear idea and formulation of the goal gives the result that you expected, otherwise it will not turn out to be what was planned.

Measurable– a category that determines the measurability of the goal in terms of indicators. The goal must be measured in some way - without measuring the goal, it is impossible to understand the quality of the result. You need to choose a unit of measurement for your goal, be it a percentage, coefficients, or units of quantitative values, indicators of maximum, average or minimum values, etc.

If you select a quantitative indicator, you need to select a unit of measurement, and if the indicator is qualitative, you need to determine the ratio indicator. It is impossible to understand what is immeasurable, much less the results of achievement. In other words, will you and others be able to see change and movement forward?

Attainable— a category that determines the achievability of a goal. Goal achievability is the main parameter; with its help you can understand exactly how and under what conditions your goal is achievable. Before choosing a goal, the question always arises about its reach, or in other words, is it possible to achieve it at all? Has anyone achieved something like this? In order for these questions to disappear, the goal must be made moderately ambitious, as well as plan achievable efforts within reasonable limits that you will make. Don't fantasize, choose goals within your capabilities.

Goal is an important part of getting closer to success. It is your main motivation to achieve your goals. Remember that an unattainable goal is a bad goal. Having set an unattainable goal, your subconscious will begin to constantly generate various kinds of excuses so that you will not achieve it. This can lead to depression and stress.

Relevant– a category responsible for linking a goal to something and to the relevance of the goal itself. It helps to recognize the quality of the goal, its truth, and gives an answer to the question: “Why do I need this?” It is necessary to make sure whether the intended result is necessary, whether the goal itself does not run counter to other tasks and plans. How does it meet your needs right now?

Timed– a category indicating the time limits for achieving a goal. The limitation of the goal in time periods makes it possible to determine the end point of its achievement. You must set a goal for yourself in such a way that you are able to evaluate your actions at any moment or period of time in order to be able to control and see the future scenario of events.

The absence of a time plan to achieve the goal and without a specific analysis of intermediate indicators of results, all this can lead to a loss of clarity and certainty.

An example of goal setting using the SMART method

Target: "marry an oligarch". Such a goal does not at all correspond to the basic criteria of the “smart” goal-setting methodology. Let's get it in proper shape so that the technology will work. Let's start unwinding the structure of the method from the end:

• T – you need to immediately plan the timing of the marriage ceremony and set a time frame for it, for example, “exactly in a year”, “by the next February 29th”, “in a month”.
• R – is it really necessary for you to go to the registry office or is it simple enough? civil marriage, it is better to formulate this point clearly - “an official wedding to take care of your own financial well-being"or "relationship with a wealthy person."
• A – if you live in the provinces, then you should focus not on the Prince of Monaco, but on the local oil tycoon.
• M – a qualitative indicator of achievability is suitable here – “successful” or “nothing worked out”.
• S - now you can clearly state your own goal so that your girlfriends do not have clarifying questions: “Officially register a marriage with any compatriot in the TOP 100 richest people in the world from the list of Fobbs magazine by January 1, 2016.”

You just need to understand that the achievability of goals still depends more on yourself, so you don’t need to set limitations for yourself, but simply clearly outline further steps to implement the task.

The SMART goal setting technology can be used everywhere, due to its versatility, it is applicable in various areas of human activity. When applying the above method, you can see for yourself its unique simplicity and effectiveness.

Staging techniqueSMART-goals - perhaps the most famous in goal setting. Let's figure out what it is, what ways it can be used, and in what cases and what people it is suitable for.

But first a little history. Translated from English, “smart” means “intelligent” with a connotation of “cunning”, “savvy”. In our case, this word is an acronym that was introduced by Peter Drucker in 1954. SMART contains 5 criteria for setting goals:

• Specific - specific;
• Measurable - measurable;
• Achievable - achievable;
• Realistic - realistic;
• Timed - determined by time.

Subsequently, various authors compiled other methods related to the goals. As a result, the requirements for goals were adjusted to the acronym SMART. And other decodings of these five letters arose (other SMART decodings). We won't touch them now.

How to use SMART goal setting technology?

Any goal must be checked against the five criteria described:

1. Specific. The goal must be clear and specific. If the goal contains the words “more”, “earlier”, etc., be sure to indicate by how much (rubles, minutes, percent, etc.).
2. Measurable. The result of achieving the goal must be measurable. “Becoming happy” is a difficult to measure result (and not specific either). But “getting married” is quite measurable; One glance at your passport is enough.
3. Achievable. You must be able to achieve this goal, at least potentially. Must have the resources (external and internal) to achieve it, or be able to acquire these resources.
4. Realistic. You need to realistically assess your resources to achieve your goal. This does not mean that the goal should not be ambitious, quite the opposite. If a goal is not realistic, break it down into several realistic goals. It must also be consistent with other goals and not contradict them. By setting a goal to get up earlier, we will have to go to bed earlier in order to get enough sleep, or look for other ways to ensure our full recovery.
5. Timed. There must be clear deadlines for achieving the goal. Without deadlines there is no specific goal.

An example of drawing up a SMART goal

Let’s transform the goal “Earn more” into accordance with the criteria, which in this form only corresponds to one or two.

1. To make the goal concrete, let’s decide that we want to earn, say, 20,000 rubles a month more. Or better yet, add the note “more than.”
2. Is it possible to measure it already? Certainly!
3. Achievable? Most likely yes, if you are reading these lines.
4. How realistic is it? Is it possible to increase working hours? Is it possible to increase the cost of working hours? Is it possible to organize and increase passive income? Maybe there are other ways? If the answer is “yes”, move on. Will the chosen method harm something else? For example, family life? Or need for rest? How can I do it without damaging it? Is there a way? Great!
5. By what date is it planned to achieve the goal? Let's say in 3 months. What do we end up with?

“By April 28, 2011, I have increased my income by more than 20,000 rubles per month while maintaining my current working hours.”

Ways to use SMART technology

• If you want to achieve something, you need to set an intention. The best place to start is in writing. To do this, apply a SMART check to the intent. So you immediately discover some of the pitfalls, which may interfere with the fulfillment of intentions.
• Reworking the goal in accordance with SMART criteria is a way of focusing on the appropriate intention. This way you are already tuned in to the desired wave. As a result, you can not only come up with ways to achieve a goal, but also “attract” the necessary events and even achieve the goal without “doing anything” for it.
• Specification and ways to measure the achievement of results will help you better understand what you really want. This will allow you to somewhat separate your goals from the imposed ones.
• The practicality of checking for realism also lies in understanding the connection between the current goal and your other goals, the goals of people close to you, etc.
• SMART technology can be used to check the advice, recommendations, suggestions, etc. received from other people. (for example, at meetings).
• When working with a large number of goals, the SMART technique allows you to weed out the “bad” goals and leave the “good” ones.

When is the technique suitable and when is it not?

• Dates for achieving goals must be current. Long-term SMART planning does not make sense in a rapidly changing situation when goals become irrelevant ahead of schedule achievements. This also applies to the option when a person has “seven Fridays a week.”
• There are situations when it is not a specific result that is important, but movement in a certain direction. In this case, you will have to apply the SMART methodology with some reservations.
• The technique involves taking actions to achieve a goal. If the absence of any action is deliberately planned, the effectiveness of the technique is low.
• More suitable for some people

Still don't know what the SMART program is? Do you have a rough idea, but are hesitant to take it on? Then you should answer this question: how often do you set yourself? It's difficult to answer, isn't it? This is why SMART planning is necessary for a person, since the main task is maximum assistance in achieving one’s own desires. Here you can set goals for yourself and achieve them, then for the better.

A little history of the SMART planning system

This clever acronym stands for setting the right goals, managing them and personal development. The person who invented SMART is not so well known, but one thing is clear - such a thing was invented for a reason, it carries a deep meaning. Translated from in English this word denotes an excellent characteristic of a person, i.e. "smart". That is why from the very beginning planning is called exactly this term, because this is a real smart formula. Scientist J. Doran actively uses the SMART methodology in his work.

Explanation of the abbreviation SMART

1. S – specific – specific. That's right, the goal you set for yourself should be as specific as possible. There should be no water and no additional questions. Do not confuse specific with simple. Simplicity will not bring the desired goal closer to realization. Specificity is the main quality of your task. Moreover, the goal must answer all five questions:

• what needs to be achieved?;
• Why is what you want important, are there any benefits?;
• who works on the assigned task?;
• where does the work take place?;
• Are there any restrictions to work?

1. M – measurable – measurable. For each goal, the framework for its achievement, as well as the degree of implementation, is important. These criteria are necessary, since without them it is impossible to control the process and evaluate the completed result. Measurability is like a work schedule that can be used to track the time spent on work. It’s great if a person manages to complete the project before the specified deadline. This means that he uses measurable material to achieve his interests.
2. A – achievable – achievable. For a goal to be achieved, it is worth working on it. This quality in the SMART chain includes dedication, self-control, self-organization, and ability to work. The task you set for yourself should be smart, not done in vain. This is why achievability is important.
3. R – relevant – relevance. Having set a clear task for yourself, you need to go through it several times and understand whether you need it all. Is what you decided to go for relevant enough? Is it worth taking action at all? Will all this be useful for future development? If there is no answer to at least one question, it means that you are setting yourself the wrong bar to achieve. SMART goals should be as relevant as possible.
4. T – time-bound – time. Whatever the time frame, you should still achieve your goal as quickly as possible. Personal growth, development and task implementation depend on the pace. Time is a very flexible concept; it has no boundaries. A person must create his own framework within which he will definitely fit. And the best thing is to do everything before the specified deadline.

If the SMART technique doesn't work

Sometimes SMART goals are not suitable for some people. The point here is not at all that the methodology is bad, and it is not that people are doing something wrong based on the acronym. Most likely, planning fails because the person has a complex character and cannot force himself to do something. Here are just a few examples where SMART doesn't work:

1. There is no point in setting a goal that you will not achieve in the end. It's about about time and how a person plans to spend it. Is a task relevant if the time frame changes every day? If you have set a clear plan for yourself, then you need to follow it and not put it off for later.
2. A plan of your own actions is an important part of SMARTING, it cannot be ignored. If a person is too lazy to write his plan on paper, this already indicates that there will be no achievement. How to achieve something that is not even shown visually? Steps towards a goal without a template are useless actions that will lead nowhere.
3. It is worth adjusting the SMART idea if the result is not as important as the correct movement towards it.
4. SMART goals are not suitable for those people who believe that everything happens at the snap of a finger. Actions on a whim are not the best The best way planning. Perhaps this method has helped someone a lot, but certainly not in SMARTing. Everyone can rely on luck, but taking the first steps towards realizing your plans is real work.

SMART goals: examples

All of the above theory is nothing compared to practice. So, the goal sounds like this: earn more. Now, let's look at the SMART criteria for this task.

1. S– the specifics are how much more a person wants to earn. It is also advisable not to be as precise as possible in numbers. It is not necessary to state the exact amount, just give the exact percentage. For example, the amount earned should be 20% higher than current earnings. Do you want to take the bar higher? Don't be shy about your own desires.
2. M– ask yourself, is it possible to measure income? Sit down and calculate what would be 120% of your current earnings. This will lead to an ultimate measurable goal.
3. A– the goal is achievable in any case. Here you just need to try to bring it to life. Correct and clear statement of the task is already the path to success. In this case, it is important to motivate yourself every day in order to achieve the desired result.
4. R– only you can judge whether your goal is realistic. But to make it easier to determine its relevance, here are a number of questions that will definitely help.

• are you ready to immerse yourself in work to achieve your goal?;
• can you cope with self-organization and guarantee yourself?;
• will achieving the goal affect you and your family?;
• are you willing to sacrifice to achieve the desired result?;
• are there any benefits?

These questions are not just that, they are important to answer honestly.

1. T- think about whether you can achieve what you want in certain time. Set a specified deadline for yourself and try to meet this period as much as possible. Do you think you can't handle it in a short time? Then before achieving the goal it is better to think about more long period. It is worth remembering that this point is thought through before implementation is undertaken, and not after.

Nuances of SMART planning

Some people set very unreasonable goals for themselves. For example, ride a tiger, graduate from high school with a medal, swim across the ocean on a mattress. In fact, there are a lot of ideas - almost as many as fantasies. By the way, do not confuse goals with dreams. These are absolutely two different things that have no connection with each other. We don't love too much practical people, but it is for them that SMART planning will seem logical and correct. Also, it is these people who succeed in everything, since their goals are often achievable and specific. If you have a clear goal of getting a good higher education, then you should not forget that there are sub-points here:

• name the specific educational institution for admission, the faculty, and also enroll there;
• attend classes, do homework and everything the teacher asks;
• Don’t stop studying at the university and develop yourself; excellent advice for this is tutors or training programs on the computer.

Why is it necessary to specify a time frame? A person can spend his whole life pursuing his plans, but many never achieve what they want so badly. Why? They have not formulated a time frame for a SMART idea, although all other points are being fulfilled perfectly. This period is your own motivation for success, an impetus for the fact that you need to act every day in order to see results. Look at these 2 goals, they seem to be nothing special, but the time period is very clearly formulated.

• by the end of this year, earn $60,000 by creating websites for the construction and finishing of apartments;
• learn in 3 years French to get a job in Paris.

SMART motivation

This point is no less important, because in order to do something, you need to be passionate about it. This is where motivation appears, which pushes a person to act. Along with motivation comes incentive, which is just as important. For a SMART idea to be desirable, tell yourself every day that you can handle it, you will succeed, victory is just around the corner. Your subconscious will begin to believe in this, and such a quality as laziness will disappear. Lack of motivation? Watch a video on the topic of your goal, pay attention to people who have achieved everything and were once the same as you. Write down on paper what you ultimately get, re-read it all to motivate yourself internally. It is worth knowing that the power of thought is a powerful thing, because almost everything that a person often thinks about comes true. Try to motivate yourself through this method.

Goal Achievement Mindset

The task at hand requires an appropriately excellent attitude. If you act without interest, nothing will work out. Think more broadly, creatively, look for the extraordinary and creative in everything, make unique decisions, don’t be afraid to take risks. Many famous people We achieved the desired results because we approached the SMART idea with a twinkle in our eyes and greedy interest. Bright to that An example is businessmen who have overcome enormous obstacles on the way to their goals. But now they have no problems making money, because once upon a time they set the bar for themselves to achieve something, gained patience and turned the task into a very interesting stage of their life. This period teaches something new and adds wisdom. Isn't this the most important thing - to be smart beyond your years? Achieving your goal is directly proportional to how wise and cunning you are in your decisions.

SMARTING is a brilliant thing if you think about it carefully. It all depends on the person, how much he wants to achieve the bar he has set for himself. Absolutely everyone can achieve something in life, it’s just that not all people think that they can do it. Based on experienced failures or a small amount of knowledge, we often neglect such an idea as SMART. We believe that all this is not for us, that only smart and experienced people can take advantage of it. In fact, everything is exactly the opposite. You just need to know what you want, and the rest will automatically happen using the ingenious SMART technology.