Quick Tip - How to Set SMART Goals for Your Meeting
The first step in planning an agenda is to identify the goals for the meeting. Properly done, goals have five S M A R T characteristics. They are: > Specific. The goal must tell exactly what will be accomplished. For example: During the next hour we will develop a strategy to increase market share by 10%. This states exactly what the group will work on. Vague goals can cause you to lose control of the meeting. > Measurable. This helps you determine if the goal has been completed. It can be stated as a number (5 ideas, 10% gain, one decision) or as an achievement (Did we write a strategy or not?). > Achievable. Goals must be realistic for the resources and time available. For example, most groups could identify twenty ways to reduce the budget in a fifteen minute meeting. On the other hand, it is unlikely that a group could develop a comprehensive marketing plan in 30 minutes. > Relevant. To be meaningful, a goal has to relate to the overall mission of your business. Otherwise, you may be wasting time. Challenge each goal with the question, �What happens without it?� If your answer is �nothing,� cancel the meeting. > Time. Specifying a deadline (e.g., by noon) or a rate (e.g., 3 per hour) moves activity toward completing the task and provides a criteria to measure progress. Of course, you want to select realistic times. As a final check, make sure your goals are so clear that someone else could use them to run your meeting.
