The material articulates the essence of goal setting and how following the process closely can improve worker productivity

1. SETTING GOALS FOR IMPROVED
PRODUCTIVITY
DR. EMMANUEL MOORE ABOLO
GMD/CEO, Riskmap Consulting Limited
DG, The Economic Thinktank Centre Limited
President, Professional Speakers Society of Nigeria
08021003297; 09071941111; aboloemma@gmail.com
abolomoore@yahoo.com

2. PRESENTATION OBJECTIVES
At the end of the presentation participants would be able to understand:
What a goal is
The goal setting process
The rules of goal setting
How goal setting leads to worker productivity

3. OUTLINE
• Quotable Quotes
• Introduction
• What Is A Goal?
• What Is Goal Setting?
• Golden Rules Of Goal Setting
• Video On Goal Setting
• Goal Setting And Employee Productivity
• Setting Goals For Worker Productivity
• Final Words

4. Quotable Quotes
• Setting goals is the first step in turning the invisible into the visible. Tony Robbins
• When it is obvious that the goals cannot be reached, don't adjust the goals, adjust the action
steps. Confucius
• Sticking to good habits can be hard work, and mistakes are part of the process. Don't declare
failure simply because you messed up or because you're having trouble reaching your goals.
Instead, use your mistakes as opportunities to grow stronger and become better. Amy Morin
• Your goals are the road maps that guide you and show you what is possible for your life. Les
Brown
• You must accept that you might fail; then, if you do your best and still don't win, at least you
can be satisfied that you've tried. If you don't accept failure as a possibility, you don't set high
goals, you don't branch out, you don't try - you don't take the risk. Rosalynn Carter
• If you go to work on your goals, your goals will go to work on you. If you go to work on your
plan, your plan will go to work on you. Whatever good things we build end up building us. Jim
Rohn
• Our goals can only be reached through a vehicle of a plan, in which we must fervently
believe, and upon which we must vigorously act. There is no other route to success. Pablo
Picasso
• If you want to be happy, set a goal that commands your thoughts, liberates your energy and
inspires your hopes. —Andrew Carnegie

5.  Have you thought about what you want to be doing in five years' time? Are you clear
about what your main objective at work is at the moment? Do you know what you want to
have achieved by the end of today?
 If you want to succeed, you need to set goals. Without goals you lack focus and
direction. Goal setting not only allows you to take control of your life's direction; it also
provides you a benchmark for determining whether you are actually succeeding.
 Think about it: having a million Naira in the bank is only proof of success if one of your
goals is to amass riches.
 If your goal is to practice acts of charity, then keeping the money for yourself is suddenly
contrary to how you would define success.
 To accomplish your goals, however, you need to know how to set them. You can't simply
say, "I want" and expect it to happen.
Introduction

6.  It’s fair to say that virtually any business would love to increase employee
productivity. While it may seem a challenge, establishing a happy and
productive environment in the workplace is not as difficult as it may appear.
 Employees who work with an optimistic state of mind will be much more likely to
improve their performance and contribute more ideas and solutions to the team.
 Many people work far more productively when they have a set goal to reach. Ask
your staff to jot down two or three workplace goals to achieve in the next month,
quarter or year—this could be anything from landing a promotion to exceeding
their average KPI.
 Next, ask them what can be done in terms of their daily routine in order to reach
these goals. It helps to keep these goals well-defined, as it makes it easier to set
realistic deadlines and request any additional resources if need be.
 Goal-setting is not only about the journey: it also gives employees a sense of
achievement once completed and provides motivation to set higher goals for the
future.
 Goal setting is one way to increase worker productivity.
Introduction

7.  A goal is an idea of the future or desired result that a person or a group of
people envisions, plans and commits to achieve. People endeavor to reach
goals within a finite time by setting deadlines.
 A goal is roughly similar to a purpose or aim, the anticipated result which guides
reaction, or an end, which is an object, either a physical object or an abstract
object, that has intrinsic value.
What is a Goal?

8.  Goal setting is a process that starts with careful consideration of what you want
to achieve, and ends with a lot of hard work to actually do it. In between, there
are some very well-defined steps that transcend the specifics of each goal.
Knowing these steps will allow you to formulate goals that you can accomplish.
What is Goal Setting?

9. 1. Set Goals That Motivate You
When you set goals for yourself, it is important that they motivate you: this means making sure
that they are important to you, and that there is value in achieving them. If you have little interest in
the outcome, or they are irrelevant given the larger picture, then the chances of you putting in the
work to make them happen are slim. Motivation is key to achieving goals.
Set goals that relate to the high priorities in your life. Without this type of focus, you can end up
with far too many goals, leaving you too little time to devote to each one.
Goal achievement requires commitment, so to maximize the likelihood of success, you need to
feel a sense of urgency and have an "I must do this" attitude. When you don't have this, you risk
putting off what you need to do to make the goal a reality. This in turn leaves you feeling
disappointed and frustrated with yourself, both of which are de-motivating. And you can end up in
a very destructive "I can't do anything or be successful at anything" frame of mind.
Tip:
To make sure that your goal is motivating, write down why it's valuable and important to you. Ask
yourself, "If I were to share my goal with others, what would I tell them to convince them it was a
worthwhile goal?" You can use this motivating value statement to help you if you start to doubt
yourself or lose confidence in your ability to actually make the goal happen.
The Golden Rules of Goal Setting--1

10. 2. Set SMART Goals
You have probably heard of SMART goals already. But do you always apply the rule? The
simple fact is that for goals to be powerful, they should be designed to be SMART. There are
many variations of what SMART stands for, but the essence is this – goals should be:
 Specific.
 Measurable.
 Attainable.
 Relevant.
 Time Bound.
Set Specific Goals
Your goal must be clear and well defined. Vague or generalized goals are unhelpful
because they don't provide sufficient direction. Remember, you need goals to show you the
way. Make it as easy as you can to get where you want to go by defining precisely where you
want to end up.
The Golden Rules of Goal Setting--2

11. Set Measurable Goals
Include precise amounts, dates, and so on in your goals so you can measure your degree
of success. If your goal is simply defined as "To reduce expenses" how will you know when
you have been successful? In one month's time if you have a 1 percent reduction or in two
years' time when you have a 10 percent reduction? Without a way to measure your success
you miss out on the celebration that comes with knowing you have actually achieved
something.
Set Attainable Goals
Make sure that it's possible to achieve the goals you set. If you set a goal that you have no
hope of achieving, you will only demoralize yourself and erode your confidence. However,
resist the urge to set goals that are too easy. Accomplishing a goal that you didn't have to
work hard for can be anticlimactic at best, and can also make you fear setting future goals
that carry a risk of non-achievement.
By setting realistic yet challenging goals, you hit the balance you need. These are the types
of goals that require you to "raise the bar" and they bring the greatest personal satisfaction.
The Golden Rules of Goal Setting--2

12. Set Relevant Goals
Goals should be relevant to the direction you want your life and career to take. By keeping
goals aligned with this, you'll develop the focus you need to get ahead and do what you
want. Set widely scattered and inconsistent goals, and you'll fritter your time – and your life –
away.
Set Time-Bound Goals
Your goals must have a deadline. Again, this means that you know when you can celebrate
success. When you are working on a deadline, your sense of urgency increases and
achievement will come that much quicker.
The Golden Rules of Goal Setting--2

13. 3. Set Goals in Writing
The physical act of writing down a goal makes it real and tangible. You have no excuse for
forgetting about it. As you write, use the word "will" instead of "would like to" or "might." For
example, "I will reduce my operating expenses by 10 percent this year," not "I would like to
reduce my operating expenses by 10 percent this year." The first goal statement has power
and you can "see" yourself reducing expenses, the second lacks passion and gives you an
excuse if you get sidetracked.
Tip 1:
Frame your goal statement positively. If you want to improve your retention rates say, "I will
hold on to all existing employees for the next quarter" rather than "I will reduce employee
turnover." The first one is motivating; the second one still has a get-out clause "allowing" you
to succeed even if some employees leave.
Tip 2:
If you use a To-Do List make yourself a To-Do List template that has your goals at the top
of it. If you use an Action Program then your goals should be at the top of your Project
Catalog.
Post your goals in visible places to remind yourself every day of what it is you intend to do.
Put them on your walls, desk, computer monitor, bathroom mirror or refrigerator as a
constant reminder.
The Golden Rules of Goal Setting--3

14. Make an Action Plan--4
This step is often missed in the process of goal setting. You get so focused on the outcome
that you forget to plan all of the steps that are needed along the way. By writing out the
individual steps, and then crossing each one off as you complete it, you'll realize that you are
making progress towards your ultimate goal. This is especially important if your goal is big
and demanding, or long-term.
Stick With It!--5
Remember, goal setting is an ongoing activity, not just a means to an end. Build in
reminders to keep yourself on track, and make regular time-slots available to review your
goals. Your end destination may remain quite similar over the long term, but the action plan
you set for yourself along the way can change significantly. Make sure the relevance, value,
and necessity remain high.
The Golden Rules of Goal Setting—4&5

15. Key Points
Goal setting is much more than simply saying you want something to happen. Unless you clearly define
exactly what you want and understand why you want it the first place, your odds of success are
considerably reduced.
By following the Golden Rules of Goal Setting you can set goals with confidence and enjoy the
satisfaction that comes along with knowing you achieved what you set out to do.
So, what will you decide to accomplish today?
The Golden Rules of Goal Setting

16. VIDEO: 5 Rules of Goal Setting

17.  Nobody likes annual performance reviews. Even high performing employees can
be demoralized by rigid or arbitrary goals. But what if you could find a way to flip
it – turning the annual performance review process into a positive moment
where employees feel empowered to learn and grow?
 While goals have long been used as a quantitative measure for employee
performance, many organizations find that the goal-setting process takes a huge
amount of time and is, frankly, not very effective.
 However, when done correctly, goal-setting can help improve employee
engagement in a way which elevates performance and benefits organizations
overall, according to recent McKinsey research.
 Setting goals can be as challenging as meeting them. Here are three things to
keep in mind when establishing effective employee goals:
GOAL SETTING AND EMPLOYEE
PRODUCTIVITY

18. Involve employees from start-to-finish
The purpose of goals is to help employees improve – naturally, it makes sense to include them in
the entire process. Securing employee buy-in allows you to help develop their short- and long-term
goals, and increases the likelihood that they will be achieved.
Managers should jointly develop goals that are SMART (specific, measurable, actionable, results
oriented and time bound). Doing so inspires commitment and allows individuals a sense of
ownership in achieving their goals.
Encouraging employees to set stretch goals also helps push performance and serves as a
motivator for ongoing development.
Link individual goals to business objectives
Of companies who have effective performance management systems, 91% say that employees'
goals are linked to business priorities. The explanation is simple: employees will be more effective
if they can see how their individual goals fit into the big picture.
In recent years, there has been an uptick in the number of companies linking organizational
business goals to functional business objectives, and converting those into team-performance
goals. This encourages accountability and better performance as individuals grasp the direct
impact of their performance.
GOAL SETTING AND EMPLOYEE
PRODUCTIVITY

19. Adapt goals in real-time
Goals should never be seen as stagnant, but dynamic and evolving. One common
mistake is setting goals at the beginning of the year and forgetting about them until
review season.
As realities fluctuate throughout the year, failing to revisit goals can be
demotivating. That’s not to say goals should become moving targets, but rather that
they should be adapted as the environment changes.
At one multinational company McKinsey works with, for example, targets are
updated if the assumptions used to set them change unexpectedly. This has helped
establish a performance-management system that helps motivate performance.
Goals don’t have to be the bane of your employees’ existence. When done
properly, setting goals can improve commitment materially and help clarify an
employee’s role – the single biggest driver of organizational health.
GOAL SETTING AND EMPLOYEE
PRODUCTIVITY

20. ENERGIZER

21.  Workplace productivity can be measured as units of activity per employee per
work hour. Higher productivity means an increase in units of activity per hour
without a significant increase in effort per unit or per hour.
 Increased productivity helps businesses compete with other companies,
innovate and keep operational costs low. Increased productivity doesn’t always
mean working harder; productivity goals may be met through technological
improvements, labor efficiencies and managerial control.
 Meeting a productivity goal often requires increased work ethics, innovation and
labor creativity.
 1. Talk to employees and other supervisors about where they think productivity
improvements could be made. Potential areas for improvement may include
tasks that require many people to complete, expensive material, expensive
labor, excessive scrap and excessive waste.
 2. Identify a measurable variable to use in the goal setting. The number of
employees involved in a task, monetary cost, work hours and the amount of
scrap are all measurable variables.
SETTING GOALS FOR WORKER
PRODUCTIVITY

22.  3. List your productivity goal for each variable. Calculate the difference between the
current variable and the desired variable.
 4. Choose the most important productivity variables. These might be the ones with the
biggest discrepancy between current and desired measurements, or the variables that
lose the most money. You might want to list from most to least important and set goals in
the order of the list.
 5. Set a date for the goal completion. Divide the number of days, or weeks, until goal
completion by the difference in the variables. This gives daily or weekly productivity
goals.
 6. Analyze tasks related to the variables to determine how to increase productivity. For
example, one person might be able to do a task that normally takes two people, less
expensive material could be used to produce a product, or scrap could be repurposed.
 7. Try out the productivity improvement methods to determine whether the methods
actually improve productivity. For example, repurposing scrap may end up costing more
and taking more time than previously calculated. Adjust goals to match actuality.
 8. Continue to calculate variable improvements until the goals are met. Evaluate the
results of the productivity improvement goal setting and plan for the next round of
improvements.
SETTING GOALS FOR WORKER
PRODUCTIVITY

23.  Even your best employee will be ineffective if you are not clear about the goals of the
workplace. If you only tell workers to make money, do your best or increase shareholder
value, you will find that everyone heads in her own direction. You know where your business is
headed, but you need to set down explicit steps along the way to keep everyone working on
the same page and at the same pace.
 Frame your productivity goals in terms of how they fit into your overall business strategy. If you
set a goal of increasing new customers, make sure your employees know that it's in the
context of growing your stable customer base. If they are focused only on signing up new
customers, you may end up with a large number of customers that don't yield you profits.
 List concrete goals that you want your employees to accomplish. Format these as a checklist
visible to all employees so everyone can see what progress is being made.
 Break large goals up into shorter steps. Don't just turn your team loose with instructions to
develop a new marketing strategy.
 Break it into doing customer surveys, measuring demographics, profiling successful and
unsuccessful campaigns by other companies, developing a new program, budgeting and an
implementation plan.
 Monitor employee progress and give helpful feedback on a regular basis. With specific tasks,
your employees will be able to work more effectively on their own. This gives you time, in turn,
to give them more detailed feedback and focus on your own job.
FINAL WORDS

24. Thank you.

25. QuestionsQuestions