Organization Behavior The Study of the ways in which people behave in organizations Essentially three questions: 1. How do they behave? 2. Why do they behave that way? 3. Can we affect that behavior?

Fields of Study in OB Personality Perception Attitudes and Values Learning Leadership Group Dynamics Stress Communication Power & Politics Decision Making Organization Culture Design of Work Motivation

So Many Theories, So Little Time There are so many theories of human behavior because there is so much variance in Human Beings (Would you want it any other way?) Surprisingly, despite years of academic research, almost none of these theories have enjoyed strong empirical support. - with one notable exception

GOAL SETTING In a wide variety of industries: With a wide variety of people: Those who set goals consistently outperformed those who did not -- By a Significant Margin!!

Goal Setting People don’t plan to fail - They simply fail to plan!! Research projects have established that: Less than 3% of the population have identified specific personal or business goals Only approximately 1% of the population put goals in writing. People don’t plan to fail - They simply fail to plan!!

Goal Specifications Poorly defined goals: There are two types of goals: poorly defined and well defined. To obtain good results, having well defined goals is a must. Poorly defined goals: Stated in terms such as improve or increase. Not achievable or no target dates. Ambiguous in regard to what is expected.

Goal Specifications Poorly defined goals... Theoretical and idealistic. Too brief and indefinite. Too long and complex. Distress producing and conflicting. Written with too many areas of concentration.

Goal Specification Well defined goals are: Stated numerically in terms of end results. Achievable at a specific time. Comprised of definite expectations. Challengingly high but practical. Precisely stated. Pertinent to the issue at hand.

Goal Specification I will net $5,000 more than I did last year, which is the equivalent of a 10% increase. Make more money than last year. I will lose 12 pounds within the next 12 weeks, while at the same time exercise to improve my overall body muscle and skin tone. Lose weight. I will request feedback on my performance, from my boss, every month and act on his/her feedback to improve my performance . I will attend at least 2 educational seminars to expand my skills. Become better at my job.

GOAL SETTING SMART Specific Measurable Achievable Realistic Time Bound

Some thoughts to remember: GOAL SETTING Some thoughts to remember: Hard goals are better than easy ones Goals can be revised as needed Writing down goals increases the probability they will be accomplished Sharing goals with others demonstrates our commitment to achieve them

Setting challenging goals creates fear of failure… GOAL SETTING Setting challenging goals creates fear of failure… …setting no goals guarantees it!!

Practice, Practice, Practice GOAL SETTING OK, It makes sense- How do I do it?? Practice, Practice, Practice Ask for feedback