Objectives
(Managing Your Time Deadlines and Priorities )
Specific Measurable Actionable Relevant Time bound Inclusive Equitable
Specific
Create goals that are clear and specific so you know exactly what you’re aiming your efforts toward. Specificity in goal setting gives stakeholders a clear understanding of what success looks like to your organization and in their roles.
Measurable
In order to track your progress and know when you’ve reached your goal, you’ll need to determine the criteria by which success or failure will be determined. That means defining the metrics and performance indicators that will be tracked from the outset of the planning process.
Actionable
For a goal to even be worth pursuing, it needs to be something within your organization’s locus of control. Consider what limits exist on your human, monetary, and time resources.
Relevant
The goals your organization sets need to be connected to its overarching mission and purpose. This may seem like common sense, but mission creep is a very real phenomenon, and pet-projects can quickly overdraw your already limited resources if relevance is not consistently considered.
Time bound
The best way to ensure your goal is achieved is to put a time frame around its completion. Having a clear boundary around time is essential to the backward mapping process, as timelines are set relative to the projected goal deadline.
Inclusive
Consider the potential inclusionary and exclusionary impacts of the goal. Would pursuing this goal cause harm (including unintended harm) to a particular person or group of people? Identify opportunities to give up power in the planning and execution of your organization’s goals-- particularly to folks from traditionally underrepresented or marginalized communities.
Equitable
As an organizational leader, you need to think systemically. That means setting goals that are fair to all stakeholders and considering how your goals advance justice and access to representative democracy.
Let’s Practice!
Use the SMARTIE framework to transform the vague goals below, into high-quality organizational goals.
Example
Vague Goal: Make our membership more diverse
SMARTIE Goal: Produce a 10% increase in the number of members who identify as men of color by December 31, 2021
Vague Goal: Raise money
SMARTIE Goal:
Vague Goal: Recruit more volunteers
SMARTIE Goal:
Vague Goal: Build community partnerships
SMARTIE Goal: