#5: On setting goals

When setting goals, be clear and specific. Obvious, isn’t it? Maybe not, for how often have you read “safety is our goal” on the back of a big truck? No, sir, your goal is to deliver your cargo; how you do so is another matter.

And how you do so does matter. For the more your staff understand ‘the way we do things around here’, the less direct supervision they need.

‘The way we do things’ should help people ‘get it’ so that they can get on with it. And in your absence, it should help them deal appropriately with unexpected nonsense.

But make sure that The Way never becomes ‘but we’ve always done it this way’, for then you’ve stopped learning. And once you’ve stopped learning, safety as a goal begins to make sense.



I’m james@nonsenseatwork.com

Copyright: 2007 James Henry McIntosh

James can be heard on Public Radio, 88.9 FM WCVE, Richmond VA.
Monday - 7:19am and Saturday - 8:19am