How to set and track stretch goals to inspire your team
Team Creative Project Manager
November 19th, 2022 • 5 min read
Summary
Stretch goals are purposefully ambitious goals that challenge your team to step outside of their comfort zone. While they’re not for everyone, teams that are already performing well may get a boost from stretch goals. Besides inspiring and motivating your team, stretch goals can also positively impact your company’s performance and increase your chances of success.
What are stretch goals?
Stretch goals are deliberately challenging goals that can inspire your team and boost their performance. Properly set stretch goals can be the breath of fresh air your team needs to get out of their comfort zone and enhance their performance.Even if you don’t hit your stretch goal, it’s the perfect way to get out of your comfort zone and reach for the stars. Plus, stretch goals (whether they’re met or missed) can be a metric to calibrate new goals.
How to set and achieve stretch goals
Ask yourself open-ended questions to define your stretch goal. Think about what the best case scenario of reaching your stretch goal could look like. How can your team improve their current work processes? How can you positively impact your industry? These types of questions will help you determine what kind of stretch goal to set.Consider your team’s or company’s available resources. Do you have the resources to work toward a stretch goal? Now’s the time to find out.Set your stretch goal. Gather your team for this process so they feel in charge of this big goal. Together, you can brainstorm how to allocate additional resources, establish a timeline, and create an action plan with stretch targets.
Pitfalls of stretch goals
Stretch goals can be challenging. If you don’t set them right, you risk making them a problem rather than a solution.If you set vague, ambiguous, or outrageous stretch goals, they can make your team feel disconnected, discouraged, or even frustrated. Set SMART stretch goals. Even a stretch goal should be specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and time-bound. SMART goals can ensure that the goals you set aren’t unattainable goals for your team. To keep track of your goals, use a goal-setting or work management software.
