How to Follow Up on Team Goals

How to follow up on team goals is the fourth post in a series on goal setting. How to Set Team Goals in 15 minutes, Six Ingredients of a Goal, You Cannot “Do” A Goal – You Can Do Activities. These three focused on goal-setting procedures, but after you’ve set the goal, now what?

Start by supporting, encouraging, and reviewing the goal every day. Seriously, every day. I remember a team member who missed a quarterly financial reward by a very small amount. It wouldn’t have taken much extra effort to hit the bonus. A few more sales calls or one additional evening of work would have been enough.

The team manager only knew how close his direct report was to achieving the bonus when it was too late. I asked the manager what he thought about his team member missing the bonus by so little, and he said, “The employee should have known where he stood.” I agreed and asked him whose responsibility it was to keep the employee informed. He answered, “It was strictly the employee’s responsibility.” I asked, “If this is true, why would he need a manager?”

How To Help Your Team Hit Their Goals

Share your vision. Help the team visualize hitting the goal.
Talk about what it will do for them and the team.
Encourage them to go public with the goal by sharing it with other team members, friends, and family.
If needed, break the goal into smaller steps with deadlines.
Keep them focused on activities, not just results.
Remind, review, and support their goals every day.
If they’re behind their goal, plan objectives and activities to get on track.
Assume they will achieve the goal and support them at every opportunity.
Recognize progress and reward them for their accomplishments.

How to Follow Up on Team Goals Starts with Taking the Time to Do it

If you’ve taken the time to set an achievable yet challenging goal based on activities, take the time to review and follow up daily. It will make your job easier. When you focus on activities daily, you’ll likely make an impact. Focusing on the results usually doesn’t change anything. Results can only be improved through activities. By focusing on activities, you are sharing how to get there. Be the roadmap for your team’s success.

How Can I Help You?

I like to help people and organizations, but I have three criteria I consider before taking an assignment – I believe in what the organization stands for, I know I can help, and it looks like fun. If you have any questions, Contact Me.

So, does your business have a management training plan? Because if not, many organizations, large and small, use my book, The New Manager’s Workbook a crash course in effective management, as the basis for their leadership development program. Check it out. It might help you stop putting off what you want to do.

If you liked this, you might also appreciate Why SMART Goals Are Dumb.

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