SMART is a technique for setting effective goals in management. The name contains an abbreviation for the names of the criteria that a correctly set goal has: specific, measurable, attainable, relevant and time-bound.
From the transcript it is clear what needs to be taken into account in the wording. This structure provides a better vision and understanding of the result, which means it is easier to manage the implementation process and achieve the goal.
The first mention of the technique is associated with the name of Paul J. Meyer in 1965, and it became widespread in business in the late 80s of the last century. Today, the approach is actively used in business planning, project management, marketing, Internet marketing and other areas, including personal time management.
In this article we will look at what SMART goals are, their mandatory characteristics, setting algorithm, as well as advantages and disadvantages - we will back everything up with examples and expert experience.
What is SMART?
SMART is that rare case when the acronym matches the content. The translation of the word smart in English is “smart”. Planning smarter. Great name!
The word itself is broken down into simple and understandable components. Each letter is endowed with meaning, and here’s a secret: until you can understand the essence of each term, the smart system for setting goals will not work. Or it will perform its function poorly.
Why is that?
Because every element in this system matters: for realizing the goal, for its formation and achievement. Moreover, when creating the correct formulation of planned “smart” tasks, transformation of projects often occurs - previously unnoticed important aspects, nuances, and details emerge.
Let's decrypt:
S (Specific). Specifically.
M (Measurable). Measurable.
A (Achievable). Achievable.
R (Relevant). Agreed.
T (Time). Time.
Examples
To consolidate the knowledge gained, let's look at a few examples in detail. The main thing to consider when evaluating a SMART goal is context. A goal may work great in some conditions and be completely unsuitable for others. Therefore, I will describe each situation in detail.
- Example 1
A 3rd year student wants to pass his coursework early in order to go to the USA for the summer under a student exchange program. The school year has just begun, but he doesn't want to drag this out for too long. The guy formulates his goal like this: “to pass the coursework by February 1 of next year.”
Examination:
- S (specificity). Writing a term paper is a fairly specific and clear goal.
- M (measurability). The grade in the grade book will be confirmation of achieving the goal.
- A (reachability). Last year, writing a term paper took a young man 2 months. There are still 5 months left before the deadline. The teacher and the dean do not object to early submission. Conclusion: the goal is achievable.
- R (relevance). The goal fits into the value system, lifestyle and does not contradict other plans.
- T (time limited). A specific deadline has been set - February 1.
The general verdict is that the goal is workable and meets all SMART criteria.
- Example 2
A girl dreams of learning to play the guitar. She has free time in the evenings, which she plans to devote to her homework. She formulates her goal as follows: “to learn to play the guitar in a year.”
Examination:
- S (specificity). Unfortunately, already at this stage the target leaves the distance. “Learn to play the guitar” is a vague formulation that can include many interpretations. You need to formulate it more clearly: “learn 20 songs”, “master playing notes”, “perform in an orchestra”, etc. And then estimate how much time it will take.
Verdict - the goal needs to be improved.
- Example 3
The guy really wants to get a dog. I’ve even decided on the breed – German Shepherd. At the same time, our hero does not have his own home - he rents a room in a three-room apartment. He formulated the goal as follows: “to buy a German shepherd by December 1, 2020.”
Examination:
- S (specificity). The goal is quite specific.
- M (measurability). The goal is measurable - the moment the money is exchanged for the dog, it will be achieved.
- A (reachability). The goal is achievable - German shepherds are not very expensive and our hero can afford this breed.
- R (relevance). But here's the rub. Keeping such a large dog in one room will be problematic, and the owner of the apartment is unlikely to be happy. The goal conflicts with reality. Therefore, it is better to postpone it until better times or completely abandon it.
Conclusion: the goal does not meet the SMART criteria.
S – Specific. A specific goal is half the success
Everywhere they write: goals for the smart system must be specific. But what does it mean?
It's simple! You need to clearly understand what the outcome of this goal should be.
Not just lose weight, but reduce your waist size to 60 cm or see the scales drop by 55 kg. Not to increase the company’s sales, but to achieve indicators that are 40% better than the same period last year. Not “buy a house”, but “earn 2 million in six months and buy a house in the cottage village “XXX”.
If the project requires the participation of some other person - an employee, a partner, a manager, then it is very important to receive feedback on specifying the goal. Otherwise, it may happen that the gym trainer is focused on achieving the final weight, and you strive for the exact volume of your forms!
Even when looking at examples of the smart system for setting goals, we see not an abstract plan, but a clear picture. And this is very important for launching the work of the subconscious, which, having understood what a person needs, will begin to contribute in every possible way to the fulfillment of his desires. Give the right thoughts, stimulate the right ideas, guide along the best route.
If you believe in the influence of the Universe on us, then you can use this argument. The clearer the request to the Universe, the faster and more correctly it will be implemented.
It turns out, no matter how you explain the SMART phenomenon, there are continuous advantages everywhere.
wrong examples
In practice, the goals and objectives of companies, even if conditionally structured, are often formed incorrectly. And now I will tell you about the most typical formulation errors.
Example 1.
I won’t ramble on for a long time and will immediately show you a list of goals, the formulation of which is incorrect:
- Read the materials on the article;
- Provide competitive advantages in the market;
- Develop employees' understanding of the company's overall goals;
- Increase the efficiency of departments for the New Year;
- Maximize the company's presence in the market;
- Create a website for the sale of interregional real estate;
- Change the attitude of subordinates to work;
- Improve the quality of our customer service.
These goal statements do not meet any of the SMART criteria. And no matter how exaggerated it may look, many of the above are real examples.
Example 2.
And one more example (what the goal should not be) can be seen in the figure below.
Wrong goal statement
The company’s intentions to become better than it is are clearly visible, but it is completely unclear what, how and in what time frame will be accomplished.
Based on these plans, it is difficult to formulate instructions for action for a specific employee or an entire department, and the company’s course is most similar to “steering out somewhere.”
M – Measurable. Scales for measuring targets
Second important point.
SMART goals must be measurable. They must contain quantitative or understandable qualitative indicators, characteristics that will ultimately indicate that the goal has been achieved.
What can be used to measure:
- money - rubles, euros, dollars, tugriks;
- shares, percentages, ratios;
- reviews or other external evaluation criteria;
- likes, number of subscribers, “viewed” for articles;
- frequency of actions – every second user clicks “order”;
- time – limited periods;
- fines – motivation “from the opposite” ;
- approval, agreement, approval - obtaining a positive opinion from a specialist or manager.
You can also find very strange options for measuring goals:
- “crosses” for embroiderers;
- schoolchildren's grades;
- competitions for teachers;
- number of dishes every day from the hostess;
- “Tomatoes” for a busy person.
Everything that can be measured and assessed must be measured and assessed.
SMART goals – examples:
- lose 10 kg
- publish 5 articles per day
- meet 1 person per day
- get a contract approved by a lawyer
All examples are “chopped off”, as they are intended to demonstrate only the “measurability” criterion. More precise guidelines for SMART goals are at the end of the article.
What criteria should smart goals meet?
For a goal to be smart, that is, SMART, it must comply with the parameters given in the transcript:
A smart goal must be specific
The result should be obvious and verifiable, for example, it is wrong to say “work on the report.” This task does not imply anything specific. You can simply open the file, add a couple of lines and close. “Finish the expense sheet for the month of July” sounds completely different. No outside interpretations. Anyone from the outside, looking at such a task, will be able to control its completion. The criterion helps to understand what is achieved when the task is completed.
A SMART goal must be measurable
The condition is achieved by specifying evaluation parameters or a specific measurement. The units are the following indicators: interest, money, kilograms, liters, centimeters, and so on. Detailed planning allows for greater control, for example, “increase next quarter's profits by 10%.” You can always check this by comparing your income. Measurability is expressed not only by quantity, but also by quality - “to increase the level of English from Intermediate to Upper-Intermediate.”
A smart goal must be achievable
In order for the task to satisfy the criterion, it is necessary to have time, effort, money, knowledge, and other resources. This step allows you to cross out unachieved goals. There is one caveat here. You don't have to refuse. It is enough to reformulate it commensurate with your capabilities. For example, a millionaire from the Forbes list can afford to “buy a castle in Switzerland,” but a businessman with an average income cannot, but is able to “buy a two-room apartment in the center of St. Petersburg.”
Setting realistic goals
A smart goal must be relevant
The goal becomes this when one of the following cases is satisfied:
- The desire to fulfill all the necessary conditions. You want to have a ripped body, but you are not ready to go to the gym three times a week and work out at home. This means that the result is not significant.
- Necessary to achieve another important goal. You want to earn more money to build your own two-story house.
This stage allows you to filter out what will not bring true satisfaction and is not relevant in your particular case. One person will be delighted with a new car, but for another nothing will change.
A SMART goal should be time-limited.
Without a deadline (from English deadline), a goal cannot be considered smart. This is due to two reasons:
- The lack of a time frame makes the goal unnecessary. Activities to achieve results are constantly delayed, postponed, the ability to control is lost, and it is impossible to adapt the situation to a specific period.
- The deadline forces you to constantly work, set mini-tasks for short periods within the global one. For example, to learn 100 English words, 25 are learned every week.
Important! The 5 criteria are not always applied. This may depend on the task at hand, but it is recommended to use everything. This approach allows you to automate the formulation process and spend less time on planning. If current problems are simple, future ones may require a comprehensive approach.
A – Achievable. Is the dream achievable?
Suppose you, being an ordinary office worker or a housewife, set a goal: in six months, get approval from the commission for a flight to the Moon. Specifically? Measurable? That's right!
Achievable? Hardly…
SMART is not a magic pill that will transport you to a magic castle just for the correct formulation.
This is a system that focuses on the reality of existence. This means that when thinking about any plans, it is important to correlate the available resources and capabilities with the desired result.
There are as many options for assessing achievability as there are goals themselves and methods for measuring them. This:
- material and moral resources;
- time;
- skills;
- knowledge;
- financial opportunities;
- health…
Fourth step. Defining Achievability Indicators
It is necessary to understand whether you/your employees have the required knowledge and experience to implement your plans. Take into account your judgment, facts, and the results of various studies.
If you want to lose 20 kilograms in a month, you should turn to research. It will become clear that such rapid weight loss in such a short period is impossible and is fraught with health problems.
Table: Definition of Achievability Indicators
R - Relevant. Let's align the goal with reality!
An interesting point is goal agreement. With what or who does it need to be “coordinated”?
At all!
With reality...
With existing plans...
With wishes...
What could happen if you exclude this item from SMART planning? The absurdity and complete impracticability of the formulated tasks.
The goals do not fit together well: “get enough sleep,” “run at 5 am,” “spend time with my husband after he returns from work at 12 p.m.” Or: “reduction of 80% of staff” and “200% profitability compared to last year.”
If there are contradictions, then plans need to be reviewed and adjusted.
Second step. Determining importance/relevance
To conduct a correct analysis, you need to answer two questions: “Why?”, “Why?” and give the answer “I want to do this...” and give arguments for and against.
Write down points in favor of relevance and irrelevance. If doubts remain, you can make a counterargument - “what will happen if this is not done...” - compare the results.
Figure: Determining the importance of relevance
T – Time-bound. When to evaluate the result?
Time-bound - “limited time.” If a goal does not have a finite time limit, then it can be achieved indefinitely. Therefore, it is important to set a framework within which the desired plans must be implemented.
It is customary to share goals:
- Short-term – up to 100 days
- Medium term – from quarter to year
- Long-term – for a period of 1 year or more
An interesting fact, but according to the SMART system, the goal should not only be limited in time, but also correlated with other plans. The chain is as follows: long-term dreams formulate the category of medium-term affairs, and those, in turn, are divided into short-term projects.
If you follow this idea in reverse order, you can see the path of small steps from today to the big Dream.
Features of the method
The SMART method, like any other tool, has its own rules that must be followed, as well as pros and cons. And then I’ll tell you more about them.
Rules
- Set your priorities. It should be taken into account that the most important point in the SMART technique is not S - specificity, as priorities are usually set, but R - importance. First of all, we must understand not what we are doing, but why;
- Write it down. You need to formulate goals in writing (either in Word or on a piece of paper). This will allow you to make adjustments and work out the details of the plan down to clear job (or personal) instructions and steps for implementation;
- Be flexible. It is worth keeping in mind that over time, new knowledge or circumstances appear that can radically affect the goal, so the criteria defining the goal must be adaptive;
- Motivate. Employees, department heads and departments as a whole are given goals and indicators for their effective implementation. For completion, you can accrue a certain percentage of your salary.
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pros
- Certainty. Practice shows that if a goal is defined, then it is much easier to move towards it and sooner or later, while remaining relevant, it will lead to results;
- Practicality. It means that having described the goal according to the given algorithm, you are actually already planning for yourself the planning of smart actions, the steps that need to be taken;
- Versatility. The algorithm for setting goals is simple and universal; it allows you to describe goals not only for managing large companies, but also plan personal ones;
- Ergonomics. The SMART methodology allows you to save time and energy, regulate the work of personnel, and increase the productivity of actions;
- Motivation. By receiving clear instructions for work, employees, departments and structures understand their organizational roles significantly better. Their motivation increases.
Minuses
- Uncertainty. SMART criteria are not always applicable to strategic goals. When planning a strategy, we are always faced with uncertainty;
- Human factor. Rigidly planned and set goals may encounter misunderstanding on the part of staff, so it is important to agree on goal levels;
- Daily routine. Often the daily routine interferes with the achievement of intended goals: an uncontrollable flow of momentary tasks arises, which distracts.
Always like this…
SMART goal setting system: examples
As promised, here are a few guiding examples that will help you understand the principles of formulating your desires:
- Lose weight from 65 to 60 kg in 100 days
- Reach an income of 100,000 per month by May 1, 2015
- Write 1 article every day for a quarter
- Rest for two weeks in June 2021 in Italy and visit Rome
- Enroll in the free department of the Faculty of Engineering of UrFU in 2020
- Learn 500 Spanish words by March 1, 2021
- Buy a new car – a blue Chevrolet Aveo hatchback – by December of this year
- Take repeated SEO training from Shakhov no later than this summer
- Read and implement all blog articles mn-zd.ru – before September 1, 2018.
- Read one educational book on coaching, psychology, and time management once a week for six months.
Story
The SMART technique began to be used in time management around the late 80s of the last century.
Like many other techniques, it was borrowed from business and enterprise management (that is, conventional management). SMART technology itself has a long history: its idea “matured” virtually throughout the 20th century.
The fact that the formulation of goals affects their achievement has been discussed for a long time. The research of the famous American psychologist Edwin Locke played a particularly important role in this issue. For example, in 1968, he published an article “Toward a Theory of Task Motivation and Incentives,” where he convincingly showed that work effectiveness largely depends on the correct setting of goals.
However, back in the first half of the 20th century, the concept of “management by objectives” began to gain popularity in business. Its development, for example, was carried out by such a prominent management theorist as Peter Drucker (sometimes he is mistakenly credited with being the author of the SMART system itself). At the same time, the importance of certain SMART criteria: specificity, measurability, and setting deadlines was increasingly mentioned in business literature.
All these ideas were summarized by the American business consultant George T. Doran. In 1981, in Management Review magazine, he published an article “There's a SMART way to write management's goals and objectives,” where he first proposed the use of the SMART acronym and described the main criteria for SMART goals. It is he who is officially considered the author of this method.
Note that, unlike the popular version today, Doran's letter A did not mean Attainable (attainable), but Assignable (assigned). That is, when setting a goal, one should immediately appoint someone who will be responsible for its implementation. This requirement remains relevant for enterprises and public administration.
In 1985, American management expert Kenneth Blanchard, along with two co-authors, published the book “Leadership and the One Minute Manager”. It mentioned the SMART methodology proposed by Doran, but in a slightly different interpretation.
Blanchard's book became a bestseller, which contributed to the widespread use of this technique.
Fifth step. Setting a deadline
Determine the realistic time in which the task can be completed. The deadline must be justified. You can’t just decide to lose so many pounds. You need to understand how much time you are willing to spend on sports, what diet you plan to follow. Count the calories you receive, the calories you expend, and estimate when losing 20 kilograms will actually become possible.
Figure: Setting a deadline
Sixth step. Checking Goal Achievability
If the previous steps were completed correctly, you can safely skip this one. It is better to double-check tasks that are too complex using the following questions:
- Do you have enough self-discipline, time, money, health to meet the deadlines?
- Are all the resources required to complete the task available?
- Do you need to make new acquaintances, attend courses/trainings, hire employees, etc.?
Often you can find some mistakes and make adjustments. It is better to double-check in advance than to change later.
