Turning strategy into targets.
WHAT MAKES AN OBJECTIVE USEFUL
Specific Measurable Within your influence Time-bound Connected to the strategy
WHY CONNECTED TO THE STRATEGY
Objectives disconnected from it pull the business in other directions.
WHAT TO AVOID
Too many objectives Objectives nobody owns Objectives that conflict Objectives measuring activity rather than outcome
WHY TOO MANY FAILS
Attention divides and nothing moves.
HOW MANY
Few enough that everyone can recall them.
WHAT TO DISTINGUISH
Outcomes: what should be true
Activities: what you will do
WHY
Activities completed without the outcome achieved is the commonest failure.
WHAT TO MEASURE
The outcome.
WHAT TO ESTABLISH FOR EACH
Who owns it By when How it is measured What the current position is
WHY THE CURRENT POSITION
Without a baseline, progress cannot be assessed.
WHAT TO REVIEW
Progress, on a regular cadence.
HOW OFTEN
Frequently enough to act, not so often as to consume the work.
WHAT TO DO ABOUT OBJECTIVES NOT MOVING
Establish whether the objective was wrong or the approach was.
WHY BOTH ARE POSSIBLE
Unrealistic objectives demoralise and get quietly abandoned.
WHAT TO DO AT THE END OF A PERIOD
Assess honestly, and set the next.
WHAT TO AVOID
Carrying forward objectives nobody has worked on.
