In what ways do goals and objectives help managers control the organization? Managers have to report to their bosses and so, they are keenly aware of how many different elements in the organization intertwine with one another. They know that a delay in one area could have a domino effect on other areas of the organization and end up costing the organization in a significant way. Rather than hoping that things that need to be done in the organization will automatically get done, a smart manager seeks to exert some control over the processes so as not to be overtaken by surprise. Since managers achieve their goals through others, in addition to having their own goals, they need to have an idea of the goals of those working under their span of control so that together they can meet important deadlines and time-marks within the organization. Effect of Specific and Measurable Goals on Employees Specific and measurable goals have a way of pushing employees who may also have a variety of things that they would rather do. As Bauer & Erdogan (2010) point out, “goals and objectives can provide a form of control since they create a feedback opportunity regarding how well or how poorly the organization executes its strategy” (p. 289). In my case, one of my jobs involves developing curricula for an English school. Sometimes, the organization gets as contract that involves having to create courses in a hurry, and the job then devolves on me to deliver within the specified time. Quite often, there is no room for excuse as the manager would not look forward to going to apologize to the client for not meeting the promised deadline. In order to ensure that the writer (in this case, me) is able to meet the deadline, including opportunities for revision and rewriting, we first set up a tentative schedule, which we then refined and then commit to. As Bauer & Erdogan (2010) note with regard to Management by Objectives, “Ideally, employees get strong input to identify their objectives, time lines for completion, and so on” (Bauer & Erdogan, 2010, p. 291). Establish an Identity of Integrity In this case, through my experience, I have established an identity as the person who always meets deadlines. By putting everything in writing, and getting my commitment to the dates, it becomes well-nigh impossible for me to back away without damaging my credibility. I also know that if I can meet the deadline for the manager, she will make sure that she goes to bat for me when the need arises whether in terms of increased compensation or some other benefit that she believes will keep me productive and increasingly likely to satisfy the needs of the organization and the achievement of the bottom-line goals. References Carpenter, M., Bauer, T., & Erdogan, B. (2010). Management principles, v. 1.1. https://2012books.lardbucket.org/books/management-principles-v1.1/index.html.
You see it, hear it, read it, and often repeat it, “…the economy is doing down the drain, … competition is fiercer than ever and cutting into our profits, … lay offs are eminent, … you need to do more with less, and blah, blah, blah!”
So what are you doing to ensure your organization’s survival! Are you just complaining about the situation you got yourself into or have you decided to take a logical rational approach to improve your survival?
A frequently referred to set of statistics from Kaplan and Norton state;
If these facts are remotely representative of most organizations, what the hell is everyone in our organization working on? You don’t need more resources, you just need to have them stop working on unimportant, non strategic activities and start working on the tasks that support your strategy.
Organizational goals inform employees where the organization is going and how it plans to get there. When employees need to make difficult decisions, they can refer to the organization’s goals for guidance. Goals promote planning to determine how goals will be achieved. Employees often set goals in order to satisfy a need; thus, goals can be motivational and increase performance. Evaluation and control allows an organization to compare its actual performance to its goals and then make any necessary adjustments.
According to Locke and Latham, goals affect individual performance through four mechanisms;
Setting individual performance goals provides a framework for translating the goals of the organization into smaller chunks that are then assigned or delegated to individual employees. This needs to be done for an organization achieve their overall goals to the extent that each employee does his or her part in completing the right job tasks in effective ways.
Clear goals and objectives allow employees to monitor their own progress all year ’round and correct their efforts as necessary. If employees know what they need to accomplish, they can look at their results as they go and identify barriers to achieving those goals.
Dan Feliciano Lean Six Sigma Rock Star |