How To Set Smart Goals Worksheet

In this article, you'll discover the latest tips and examples to assist you create and execute on SMART goals. We've as well provided a complimentary, downloadable SMART goals template to get you lot started.

Included on this page, you'll find examples of SMART goals, a customizable SMART goals worksheet, and the best project direction tool to apply to put your plan in activity.

What Are SMART Goals?

SMART goals are a relatively new idea. In 1981, George T. Doran, a consultant and former managing director of corporate planning for Washington Water Ability Visitor, published a paper called, "There's a SMART Way to Write Management's Goals and Objectives." In the document, he introduces SMART goals equally a tool to create criteria to aid improve the chances of succeeding in accomplishing a goal.

What are SMART goals?

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What Does the SMART Acronym Represent?

The acronym stands for:

Due south – Specific

When setting a goal, be specific virtually what yous want to reach. Think about this as the mission statement for your goal. This isn't a detailed list of how yous're going to encounter a goal, but it should include an reply to the popular 'due west' questions:

Who – Consider who needs to be involved to achieve the goal (this is especially of import when you're working on a grouping project).
What – Think virtually exactly what y'all are trying to accomplish and don't be afraid to get very detailed.
When – Yous'll get more specific most this question under the "fourth dimension-bound" department of defining SMART goals, but you should at to the lowest degree set a fourth dimension frame.
Where – This question may not always apply, peculiarly if you lot're setting personal goals, only if at that place'southward a location or relevant event, identify it hither.
Which – Decide whatever related obstacles or requirements. This question tin can be beneficial in deciding if your goal is realistic. For example, if the goal is to open a blistering business, just you've never baked anything before, that might be an result. As a result, you may refine the specifics of the goal to be "Learn how to bake in order to open a baking business."
Why – What is the reason for the goal? When it comes to using this method for employees, the answer will likely exist along the lines of company advocacy or career development.

K – Measurable

What metrics are you going to use to make up one's mind if you meet the goal? This makes a goal more than tangible considering it provides a way to measure progress. If it'due south a project that's going to take a few months to complete, and then set some milestones by considering specific tasks to accomplish.

A – Doable

This focuses on how of import a goal is to you lot and what yous can practise to brand it accessible and may require developing new skills and irresolute attitudes. The goal is meant to inspire motivation, non discouragement. Think about how to achieve the goal and if you have the tools/skills needed. If you don't currently possess those tools/skills, consider what it would accept to reach them.

R – Relevant

Relevance refers focusing on something that makes sense with the broader business goals. For example, if the goal is to launch a new product, it should exist something that'southward in alignment with the overall business objectives. Your squad may be able to launch a new consumer product, but if your company is a B2B that is non expanding into the consumer marketplace, then the goal wouldn't be relevant.

T – Time-Bound

Anyone can set up goals, just if it lacks realistic timing, chances are you're not going to succeed. Providing a target appointment for deliverables is imperative. Ask specific questions about the goal deadline and what can be achieved within that time period. If the goal volition take iii months to complete, it's useful to define what should exist achieved one-half-fashion through the process. Providing time constraints also creates a sense of urgency.

The Easiest Way to Write SMART Goals

When it comes to writing SMART goals, exist prepared to ask yourself and other team members a lot of questions. The answers will aid fine-melody your strategy, ensuring the goals are something that'southward actually attainable. While you should be as realistic as possible, it'due south important to approach writing SMART goals with a positive attitude. Afterwards all, this is something that you lot desire to achieve.

This doesn't take to be a daunting feel; in fact, it should exist quite illuminating. Later in the commodity, nosotros demonstrate how to write SMART goals for two typical business organisation scenarios: completing a project and improving personal performance. Below, we've included an easy-to-employ SMART goals template in Discussion, along with a template to assist you plan and manage your goals in Smartsheet.

SMART Goals Worksheet Template

Download the SMART Goals Template in Word

Execute on SMART Goals with Projection Direction in Smartsheet

Once yous've defined your SMART goals, it's essential to put a programme in place to reach them. To help with execution, y'all need a tool that enables you to program, track, manage, automate, and report on your goals in real-fourth dimension.

Ane such tool is Smartsheet, a work execution platform that enables enterprises and teams to get from idea to affect - fast. With a collaborative, real-time objectives tracker in Smartsheet, you can increment transparency and improve accountability across your initiatives.

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Plus, top project management leaders rely on Smartsheet to help marshal the right people, resources, and schedules to get work done. Use Smartsheet to create consistent projection elements, increase speed, and improve collaboration with scalable options that fit individual work preferences. Hold yourself and your team answerable, improve visibility into team priorities, and ensure nothing slips through the cracks.

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Examples of SMART Goals

Hither are 2 examples of initial goals nosotros'll use to walk through this process:

I desire to complete a projection
I want to ameliorate my operation

This is a typical approach to creating goals, just both of these are very vague. With the current wording, the goals probably aren't going to be attainable. The statements lack specifics, timelines, motivation, and a reality check.

Now, let's use the SMART goals formula to clarify both and create new and improved goals.

Goal ane: I want to complete a project

Specific: Many people are accessing our current site from their mobile devices. Since it'southward not a responsive site, it provides a poor feel for customers. I want to launch a mobile app for my company website by the terminate of Q2, which requires interest from software development, pattern, and marketing.
Measurable: Creating a mobile app for our visitor site will crave a lot of resources. To arrive worthwhile, I'd like to have 50,000 installs of the site within half-dozen months of launch. I'd also like to show a five% conversion rate from customers using the mobile site.
Doable: The departments that will be involved have signed-off on creating a mobile app. I'll need to manage the projection and gear up milestones to proceed everyone motivated and on target.
Relevant: Improving the customer feel on mobile devices is a core initiative for my company this year.
Fourth dimension-Bound: In society to reach 50,000 mobile app installs and a 5% conversion rate by the end of the fiscal year, the app volition need to be launched by Q2 with a robust marketing entrada that should continue through the stop of the year.

Goal 2: I desire to better my performance

Specific: I received depression marks on my ability to utilize PowerPoint at my last performance review. Improving my skills requires that I learn how to apply PowerPoint efficiently and practice using it by creating various presentations. I'd similar to be more proficient using PowerPoint in fourth dimension for my next review in six months.
Measurable: By the time of my next review, I should be able to create presentations that incorporate graphs, images, and other media in a couple of hours. I should as well be able to efficiently apply and create templates in PowerPoint that my coworkers tin can also use.
Doable: Improving my PowerPoint skills is instrumental in moving forwards in my career and receiving a ameliorate operation review. I tin prepare time aside every week to watch PowerPoint tutorials and even enroll in an online class that can teach me new skills. I can too ask coworkers and my managing director for PowerPoint tips.
Relevant: Working with PowerPoint is currently 25% of my job. Equally I move upwards in the company, I'll need to spend 50% of my time creating PowerPoint presentations. I enjoy my career and want to continue to abound within this company.
Time-Spring: In 6 months, I should be practiced in PowerPoint ensuring information technology merely occupies 25% of my workload instead of the nearly 40% of the fourth dimension it occupies now.

In one case you lot go through and write your goals according to each SMART characteristic, you can and then combine and consolidate all the work y'all've washed into one SMART goal.

SMART goal: I desire to complete a project

Description: Improving the client experience on mobile devices is a core initiative for my visitor this twelvemonth, so we are going to create a mobile app. Past the end of the financial year, there should be fifty,000 installs of the mobile app nosotros develop, and it should produce a 5% conversion rate. Nosotros'll build the mobile app in-house and launch it past the end of Q2 with an app-related marketing entrada that will continue to the end of the year.
Milestone: Mobile app launches end of Q2.
Borderline: Finish of the financial year.

SMART goal: I want to improve my performance

Description: To grow in my career, I demand to meliorate my PowerPoint skills. By taking online classes and reviewing tutorials, I'll improve my PowerPoint skills so that it simply requires 25% of my work time.
Milestone: Complete an online PowerPoint course in three months.
Deadline: Next employee review in six months.

Related:

Notice more project direction tips, template, and best practices in our comprehensive Project Management Guide.

Establishing Clarity Effectually Success and Failure of Goals

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