Through SMART objectives, you can effectively simplify the design of achievable goals.
“A dream is just a dream. A goal is a dream with a plan and a deadline.”
Harvey Mackay
What are SMART goals?
SMART objectives are criteria that help guide you when establishing both goals and objectives in your company, to obtain the best results.
5 characteristics of SMART goals
SPECIFIC. Through specific objectives, a company can grasp way more simple these objectives, since they simplify reality. When we talk about wanting to increase profits, it is not the same as increasing them by 20%.
measurable. A specific target has the possibility of measured by some kind of parameter. It is much easier to be able to interpret it and know if it has been achieved or not.
REACHABLE. An achievable goal is a goal realistic. Both possibilities and limitations must be taken into account.
RELEVANT. The relevant objective is the one that is important for the company and which is aligned with other goals, making sense in the project as a whole.
TEMPORARY. It is necessary to set a deadline to meet the objectives. In this way, time will not be lost, but will be used to carry out these objectives.
What are SMART goals used for?
Among the benefits of the SMART methodology we can find these examples:
INCREASED BUSINESS VISION
Thanks to the SMART methodology, you will be able to have a much broader vision of your company. And in this way, you will be able to establish your objectives in a clearer and more concise way. The more vision you have of everything your company requires, the easier it will be for you to achieve your goals. In addition to being able to work better at it.
IMPROVEMENT OF PLANS AND STRATEGIES
The SMART methodology is based on the creation of concise objectives, through which you can create better plans and strategies. Thanks to having everything planned, it will be easier to coordinate all the elements to achieve the objectives.
FOCUS ON WHAT'S IMPORTANT
It is essential to know the path you are taking to achieve your goals. And how are you going to get to that point? With all this, you will be able to focus only on what you need, leaving distractions and waste of time behind. This will help you focus on what is most important by focusing on what is relevant.
GREATER BUDGETARY CONTROL
One of the great advantages of having a SMART methodology is the budgetary control of the company. You will be able to improve the distribution of your human resources, and your financial resources, generating greater savings for your company.
COMMUNICATION IMPROVEMENT
As we have discussed in other articles, the communication It is one of the most important elements within a company. Through SMART objectives, you will be able to communicate with all the members of your team in a more concise way. It will give you the confidence of knowing that your entire team is working towards the same point, and with clear ideas of what they should do.
STRATEGIC PROFILE
When we talk about a SMART methodology, we are talking about a strategic methodology, so the positioning of your company will be reinforced. In addition, your work methodology within it will be more fluid and you will stand out from your competitors.
STREAMLINE THE SALES FORCES
The sales team of a company needs a broad vision and real goals so that they can work in an agile way. Through the SMART objectives, they will be able to guide themselves and direct their work and effort towards the commercial strategy.
INCREASE IN THE PROFITABILITY OF THE COMPANY
If the company that works with a SMART methodology manages to implement it as part of its philosophy, it will achieve better results, thus increasing its profitability.
Difference Between SMART Objectives and SMART Goals
There is a tendency to think that objectives and goals mean the same thing, since they share certain aspects, such as the action of achieving something in the future. But, they must know how to differentiate because they are two very different points. The arches is the end, where do you want to go, and the objectives They are the path you must follow to get there.
In general, the goals tend to be broader, and are short, medium or long term. Moreover, a goal may not be met for different reasons, but the objectives should always be tried to be carried out.
Examples of SMART goals
Non-SMART goal: I want to increase my company's web traffic.
SMART goal: I want to get 2000 visits to my website from my social media channels during the summer months.
Non-SMART goal: I want to increase the sales of my company.
SMART goal: I want to increase sales by 10% of my services during the month of December.
Non-SMART goal: I want to increase the number of my team in the company.
SMART goal: I want to increase my team in the company with two or three more employees before the end of the year.
