1. Goal Setting: Theory, research and practical applications
Robertson Cooper Ltd
Nick Hayter
Practical workshop, introducing the key concepts and core findings of Goal Setting theory, research, practical applications.
Billed as what it is, why do it and how to do it. See what we can cover in 45 mins!

2. Robertson Cooper Founded by Professors Cary Cooper & Ivan Robertson
Evidence-based products that help organisations in managing well-being, engagement and resilience in a strategic and systematic way
Flexible, partnership approach in working with clients to build capability inside their businesses

3. Pressure and Performance

4. Resilient Teams:
When there’s little you can do about some of the pressures draining well-being, you can still top up the reservoir in other ways

5. Goals
A goal is the object or aim of an action, for example, to attain a specific standard of proficiency, usually within a specified time limit
(Locke & Latham, 2002)
Goals indicate and give direction to an employee about what needs to be done and how much effort is required to be put in

6. Goal Setting Theory
Goal setting is essentially linked to task performance:
“We found a positive, linear function in that the highest or most difficult goals produced the highest levels of effort and performance. Goal difficulty effect sizes in meta-analyses ranged from .52 to .82” (Locke & Latham, 1990)
“Performance levelled off or decreased only when the limits of ability were reached or when commitment to a highly difficult goal lapsed” (Erez & Zidon, 1984)
“Specific, difficult goals consistently led to higher performance than urging people to do their best. In short, when people are asked to do their best, they do not do so” (Locke, 2002)

7. Goal Setting Theory
Discuss: Why do goals improve task performance?

8. Goal Setting Theory Practical importance: The four mechanisms
Goals serve a directive function; they direct attention and effort toward goal-relevant activities and away from goal-irrelevant activities
Goals have an energizing function; high goals lead to greater effort than low goals
Goals affect persistence; when allowed to control time spent on a task, hard goals prolong effort
Goals affect action indirectly by leading to the arousal, discovery, and/or use of task-relevant knowledge and strategies
Locke and Bryan (1969) observed that people who were given feedback about multiple aspects of their performance on an automobile-driving task improved their performance on the dimensions for which they had goals but not on other dimensions.
Directly entail physical effort, such as the ergometer (Bandura & Cervone, 1983); (b) entail repeated performance of simple cognitive tasks
There is often, however, a trade-off in work between time and intensity of effort. Faced with a difficult goal, it is possible to work faster and more intensely for a short period or to work more slowly and less intensely for a long period. Tight deadlines lead to a more rapid work pace than loose deadlines in the laboratory

9. Goal Setting Theory
Moderators of effectiveness 1. Task Complexity 2. Feedback 3. Goal Commitment Discuss: What impacts commitment towards goals?
As the complexity of the task increases and higher level skills and strategies have yet to become automatized, goal effects are dependent on the ability to discover appropriate task strategies. Because people vary greatly in their ability to do this, the effect size for goal setting is smaller on complex than on simple tasks
Importance – personally and/or inspired vision
Self-efficacy – adequate training, role modelling

10. “The most beautiful fate, the most wonderful good fortune that can happen to any human being, is to be paid for doing that which he passionately loves to do.”
Abraham Maslow

11. i-resilience : Key Components of personal resilience

12. Challenge & Mastery

13. Using Goals: Setting objectivesM A R T
PECIFIC
EASURABLE
GREED / ACHIEVABLE
ELEVANT
S – clear and focused
M – so that achievement can be assessed
A – needs to be demanding and realistic
R – to the job and role
T – when achieved by; so plans can be made
IME-LIMITED

14. Using Goals
Discuss: How are goals (and appraisals) used in your organisation?

15. Setting goals: Appraisals
Periodic formal meeting between manager & staff
Aims:
Improving performance
Assessing achievements against objectives
Reviewing levels of competence
Developing the employees skills and career
Setting fresh objectives
In most cases, appraisers need to assess:
Results – What the individual achieved against objectives
Competence – How they achieved (or partially achieved) their objectives; the personal capabilities and behaviours they demonstrated

16. Different types of objectives
Achievement objectives
Intended to raise performance in line with business objectives
Can also arise from the individual’s development needs
Maintenance objectives
Aim to maintain current levels of effectiveness
Especially relevant to roles which involve routine activities
Remember: Balance strengths with development needs!

17. Linking individual objectives to organisational goals
Performance appraisal has a central role to play in performance management
An appraisal is the vehicle by which organisational goals are translated into individual objectives
When setting individual objectives, be sure that they are consistent with the objectives of the team/division

18. Linking individual objectives to organisational goals
To enhance revenue stream by broadening customer base
Team goal
To increase market penetration in SMEs and achieve 20% growth in sales in this sector by year end
Individual objectives
Clare will:
1) Spend two days per week on sales calls to SMEs within her region
2) Achieve £150K sales of PCLX systems and associated software to these clients within the next nine months

19. Examining Evidence of Achievement
To assess how well an objective has been met requires an examination of the supporting evidence
If objectives are SMART, this should be relatively easy
When an objective has only been partially fulfilled, the appraiser needs to uncover:
Why the shortfall occurred
How much control the appraisee had in achieving the objective
Important to review the objectives regularly – to spot problems, discuss solutions and check appropriateness

20. Assessing Competencies
There is a need to assess how the appraisee performs in their job; what skills and behaviours they have demonstrated in working towards their goals
Competencies are a linked set of characteristics and behaviours that enable a person to perform at a high level
Examples:
Quality Focus; Teamworking; Decision taking
The strength in using competencies is that you analyse the performance of each person against a clear standard
Assessments need to be based on examples of evidence; focuses attention on where skills can be improved
Avoid bias; needs to fair and needs to assess performance

21. Pressure and Performance

22. The Leadership Impact model

23. Leadership Impact

24. Leadership Impact

25. Contact
Nick Hayter