<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Michelangelo offered that advice about 500 years ago, but I think we have to be a little bit careful how we apply it in our businesses.<\/p>\n
Clearly, setting goals that can be achieved at a walk is a bad idea.\u00a0 <\/span>People don\u2019t get much sense of accomplishment when the goal is too easily reached.\u00a0 <\/span>On the other hand, setting goals too high causes another problem.\u00a0 <\/span>People will quickly discern that goals are set absurdly high, they will become discouraged, and again they will be robbed of a sense of accomplishment.<\/p>\n In his excellent book, \u201cCEO Tools,\u201d Kriag Kramers offers an answer to this dilemma.\u00a0 <\/span>He recommends a rigorous budget process whereby goals are demanding, but achievable.\u00a0 <\/span>Then he suggests setting some big, over-the-top goals while clearly communicating that it\u2019s OK if we don\u2019t hit them.\u00a0 <\/span>After all, we did hit our base budget goals, right?\u00a0 <\/span>So everyone can take get a sense of accomplishment from that even if we go no further.\u00a0 <\/span>But if we do go further, we can offer some really exciting incentives because we\u2019re now playing with money we never expected to have in the first place.<\/p>\n So it\u2019s really a perfect solution.\u00a0 <\/span>We set tough but achievable goals so that everyone can take pride in that accomplishment, but then we set some over-the-top goals, acknowledging that we probably won\u2019t hit them, thereby eliminating any sense of fear or guilt or failure.\u00a0 <\/span>And by the way, once you get into the over-the-top goals, have fun with them!\u00a0 <\/span>Make it a game!\u00a0 <\/span>Challenge one another!\u00a0 <\/span>After all, at that stage, you truly are playing with found money.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Michelangelo offered that advice about 500 years ago, but I think we have to be a little bit careful how we apply it in our businesses. Clearly, setting goals that can be achieved at a walk is a bad idea.\u00a0 People don\u2019t get much sense of accomplishment when the goal is too easily reached.\u00a0 On<\/p>\n