A new month usually brings new goals you’d like for you, and the team, to achieve. Meeting organizational goals is the focus for every leader. However, goals can become overwhelming, especially if there are too many given.
It can often feel as if you’re spinning in circles with too many goals, or those that seem conflicting. If a leader feels overwhelmed, then goals won’t get conveyed in the way they are intended or can get overlooked. The good news is, you’re not the only one who feels that way. It’s very common, and you can help solve this problem.
Here are some things you can do if you’re overwhelmed with having too many goals:
- Look for overlaps. Sometimes there is a natural and logical relationship between goals. Suppose you want to get healthier and to have more leisure time to cope with workplace stressors. Making time out for active leisure, such as tennis or running, will accomplish both goals at once.
But, sometimes, two goals seem to be in direct opposition to each other, such as wanting to spend more time with your employees but having to attend meetings during the day. In this case, write out both goals and, next to each, write out why you want to do each of them and want to accomplish.
You might find that what you want is to improve and increase your communication skills. In this case, your real goal is to plan and schedule activities that meet the needs of each goal. You might discover that you can satisfy your desire to communicate more by scheduling employee time in between meetings, send one of your staff in lieu of you in a meeting, or eat lunch with them. Get to the essence of the goal, and they’ll work themselves out.
- Make the time. We tell ourselves there are “only so many hours in a day,” and that we’re “too busy” to take on anything else right now. Your time is precisely that – yours.
Instead of saying “I don’t have time to meet with an employee,” try saying, “I’m not making time to meet” – We find the time for the things that matter.
- Be flexible. It’s a good thing to put a timeline together and have definite dates and time-sensitive goals. But remember that life happens, and often it even gets in the way. There is an ancient Greek saying that goes: “If you want to make the gods laugh, tell them your plans.” Having milestones and plotting points along the timeline is good, but don’t hold yourself to it so rigidly that you cannot adapt to the occasional curveball. This applies to your staff, as well.
If it feels to you like you have too many goals, or if the ones you do have are fighting each other, then find the essence of each one. This will help you determine what’s most important right now. Then, work on one goal at a time.
By concentrating on which ones mean the most each day, you’ll put those goals into perspective, and you won’t feel so overwhelmed, which will affect your stress level and productivity.
Leaders need to steer the boat, so to speak; but, if you are taking in more water with too many goals, then you won’t know the direction to take and can get off-course. Your clarity impacts the clarity for your employees; be clear in the direction for smooth sailing.
If you’re struggling with setting or achieving goals, having a coach can help. Contact us today to learn more.
