Goals Setting for Small Business

Managing Action Plan, Target Dates, Actual and Intended Performance

Apr 21, 2009

Goals setting facilitate the small business focus and performance by establishing target outcomes that can be measured.

One way for small business owners or entrepreneurs to manage and improve chances for success is to set goals that will accomplish the business strategies through various business activities. For each goal, a plan of action should be indicated and target dates specified for each goal’s achievement. As each target date is due, actual performance can be compared with intended performance.

Criteria of Effective Goals

You can increase the chances of your goals being reached successfully if you can follow the following criteria:

Goals are Written

In business jargon, a goal that isn’t in writing isn’t a goal, as management experts will say. By writing down the things a business owner wants accomplished, goals are realized. Written rules not only clarify but enable to keep focus attainment of the business objectives.

Goals are Measurable

Goals are measured to ensure that business activities are aligned to business objectives. For example, as a form of measurement, after a year or two, the criteria for judging whether goals have been attained could be through sales volume, profits, losses, memberships in specific organizations, write-ups in newspapers and magazines, and so on.

Goals are Scheduled

Each goal set should have a specific time frame for its completion. If a date needs to be moved forward or pushed back, it can be done. Having a completion date to shoot for will make it much easier to schedule or re-schedule the work needed to accomplish goals and to monitor progress.

Goals are Realistic

If goals are set unrealistically, a business owner is setting himself or herself up to failure. Few people become instant millionaires or earn enough to retire within six months of starting their business. A profile of similar business owners in the field being pursued can be studied to find out how long it took them to do it, bearing in mind that circumstances vary from one owner to another.

Goals are Worthwhile

In order to motivate, to achieve, or to be worth working for, goals must be worthwhile. If goals require stretch or extra efforts, reward should be provided when achieved.

Participative Goals

This is important to ensure commitment. No business wants to fail. Although imposed goals may be accepted, they will not receive as much commitment as when those responsible for achieving them are participants in setting them.

Flexible Goals

This is in case of conditions that change dramatically beyond control in which predetermined goals become unattainable. When this happens, goals should be re-evaluated in fairness to those responsible for achieving them.

Finally, here's a tip on priorities:

Priorities need to be set after goals are determined. It is possible to have clearly defined goals, but still not have meaningful priorities because goals haven't been ranked in order of importance.