How to set your people inspiring goals

When our people are inspired to achieve their goals, their engagement and performance will be high.

But setting inspiring goals was the No1 difficulty in my LinkedIn Poll asking leaders what they found most difficult - so here's where to start!

Step 1: Understand what inspires your people - what matters to them?

We each have our own values and drivers - what inspires me may not inspire you.

So you need to know your people - what energises them? What do they want to achieve? Why do they show up every day?

Then you'll begin to understand how to shape their goals so they feel inspired to achieve them.

If you want some great questions to enable you to get to know your people, check out my article: How well do you know your people?

Step 2: When you understand your people you can tie the business purpose and goals to their values and drivers

Find the hook that gets them excited to achieve their goals - make it personal to them and help them see what they can achieve and contribute.

Do they love helping others, making a difference? How can they use that to drive improved customer or colleague experience?

Do they want to leave a legacy? How can they use that to improve or create a product or system?

Inspiration rarely comes from goals like 'Maximise shareholder value' or 'Complete calls within 5 minutes'.

Step 3: Now you understand your people and how to align their values and drivers with business goals, the next step is to be clear on success and reward.

❔ How and when will their progress towards success be measured?

❔ How will they know they're on the right course?

❔ How can they use their strengths to achieve their goals?

❔ How will you support them on the journey?

❔ What is the reward for success?

Continue to align this step with their values and drivers to ensure purpose and meaning. For example, check what success will look and feel like for them personally - what satisfaction will they gain?

What does reward look and feel like for them? How does it differ from their vision of success?

For example, success may be hearing customers say how much they love the new product because it's helping them overcome a problem.

The reward may be knowing they've made a difference to people's lives and that makes them feel really great; and secondly that it's going to help them achieve that move to another part of the business.

Goals, success and reward don't need to be written in terms of numbers and money. When you understand someone's values and drivers, and help them use their strengths, you're able to inspire them to perform at their best.

Help your people to feel inspired about their goals and their work - you'll all feel the benefits in improved engagement and performance.

Try this out and let me know how you get on 💛