Clarify the "What, How and "Why"

In order to help your employees be successful at their job (the 'what'), they need to understand what deliverables are expected of them during that period (e.g. quarterly or annual review), and exactly how producing these deliverables contribute to the overall organization.  If the "how" does not connect to the bigger picture or they don't see how their objective aligns to the greater mission and goals of the organization, then their "what" might hurt the individual and organization more than help.

For example, if you establish a goal with an employee that is intended to reduce operational cost in number and scope, but neglect to introduce some behavioral expectation such as their need to collaborate with other individuals and/or departments, they could misunderstand how to achieve this goal and create more issues in the long run.

For many managers the “How” involved in goal-setting is tacit, but for a leader with coaching expertise, the “What” and the “How” are crucial. In fact, in many instances, the issues and challenges that prevent your employees from attaining their goals or seeing potential blind spots to increase their level of performance stem from behavioral issues underlying their lack of understanding of the "How".

REFLECTION:

How do the goals you have as a manager or leader for your team connect with the mission and vision of your organization?

Have you explained your goals and their connection to the bigger picture to your employees?