Goal setting is a critical focus area for organisations during change, but approximately 70% of change initiatives fail to achieve. When we ask our clients WHAT their goals are, not many would describe them as exciting or motivating. SMART objectives explicitly state that being ‘realistic’ is key. Realistic isn’t exciting. Believe it or not, the ‘What?’ doesn’t have to be realistic. We’re actually capable of so much more than we realise. Unless we can identify a stratospheric, spine tingling, heart soaring vision, we are more likely to fail. 

Let’s get into the BHAG; Big Hairy Audacious Goal. I recently worked with a group of leaders around goal setting for the following year. We talked about what they wanted, what they had done so far, what resonated and the challenges they faced. One was, ‘I want to be a better leader.’ Pretty par for the course as part of personal development objectives. And what does ‘better’ mean? I asked this leader the same question. On a scale of 1 to 10, how much does the thought of achieving this excite and/or motivate you? The answer was a steady 5. We needed a much better ‘What?’ and we needed to know ‘Why?’

Why was it important that this person become a ‘better’ leader? What would it mean? What would it give them? We got to ‘I want to make an impact here.’ Now this was compelling! This was exciting. Being a better leader was just one of the many options towards this.

Once this group got out of the expected mindset and removed barriers, there was a noticeable rise in the vibe of the room. The conversations became more animated. If we can get completely engrossed in the ‘What?’ of a bolder and more aspirational vision and back it up with plenty of ‘Why’s?’ then we’re onto something. It not only feels more compelling, but the options to achieve it become vaster and varied. This means that the change is more likely to happen.

One of my personal goals or ‘What’s?’ is that I want financial freedom. Why? Because I want to be able to travel more. Why? I want to role model to my children that financial freedom is possible. Why? I want to make more memories… I could go on and on. And I should. The more ‘Why’s?’ we can get onto our list, the more engaged and focused we will become. Have that dream. Get right into the ‘What?’ and ‘Why?’ but not the ‘How?’ and ‘When?’ YET.

It can feel a challenge to stay in the ‘What’ and the ‘Why?’ when our instinct for solutions and action kicks in. The ‘How?’ and the ‘When?’: How will we do this? When will it happen? Then often: What if it doesn’t work…? When we get into the ‘How?’ and the ‘When?’ too early, we can start to doubt ourselves. Our limiting beliefs pop up. We create barriers. We resist. And sometimes, we give up.

The ‘How?’ and the ‘When?’ will come when we are fully immersed into the ‘What?’ and the ‘Why?’. When we focus on ‘What?’ we want to achieve and ‘Why?’ we want it, the answers show up. However, if we aren’t fully immersed into these first, the ‘How?’ and the ‘When?’ can become an effort. If we are looking to achieve something because the ‘Why’ is a belief that we ‘have to’, ‘need to’ or ‘should’ then executing the ‘How’ will most likely be painful or slow. How can we turn this into something that we ‘want’ instead? When we do this, we will find things just start to happen!

If you feel yourself, or notice your team, getting into resistance and doubt, then you’ll know the ‘How?’ and ‘When?’ are probably the focus too early. Re-immerse yourself back into the ‘What?’ and the ‘Why?’. The ‘How?’ and ‘When?’ will then, simply take care of themselves.

Join us at World of Learning on Wednesday 11th October | 12:45pm – 13:15pm| Seminar Theatre 2: There is nothing permanent except change. How to transform your organisational culture.

Lou Carter 

Founder of Rising Vibe

With over 25 years of experience in operations, learning and coaching, Lou Carter is Founder of Rising Vibe and has developed one mission; to support and challenge leadership to have the conversations that matter by bringing organisational goals and human needs together. It’s about building trust and safety within teams so that they feel safe to share how they really feel. It’s about helping people help themselves. An articulate, high-energy communicator, Lou gets right to the heart of the issue, unafraid to challenge and quick to inspire, challenging mindset to enhance performance.