To guide your team in setting achievable goals. It starts by involving them in the goal-setting process to ensure improvement and success. Use SMART criteria - Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time-bound - to set clear, realistic objectives. Break down the main goals into smaller, more manageable frameworks. and encourage regular check-ins to assess progress and adjust expectations, if needed, emphasize collaboration and provide resources or support to help them succeed. Promotes a sense of achievement and motivation. Be a leader/mentor rather than a manager.

Unrealistic targets can harm motivation and productivity. To help your team set achievable goals, focus on three steps: 1. Clarify Expectations: Ensure goals are clearly defined and aligned with business objectives, so everyone understands the purpose behind them. 2. Break Down Goals: Divide large targets into smaller, actionable steps to make progress manageable and measurable. 3. Encourage Regular Reviews: Hold consistent check-ins to track progress, celebrate wins, and adjust plans if needed.

Cuando un equipo enfrenta metas que parecen inalcanzables, el problema no siempre es la meta, sino los límites que ellos mismos se han impuesto. Aquí es donde los Objetivos y Resultados Clave (OKRs) hacen la diferencia. En lugar de descartar objetivos ambiciosos como irreales, los OKRs invitan al equipo a replantear su enfoque: identificar qué es posible al quitarse esas limitaciones y trabajar con claridad, enfoque y medición constante. Así, las metas dejan de ser una carga para convertirse en un desafío motivador que expande los límites de las organizaciones.

The question is: who has the unrealistic goals form the beginning? You (the manager...) or someone else outside the team (maybe the BOD or the CEO?). If YOU have set the unrealistic targets, you must do the 'exercise' again, see what the BIG picture is (company's targets) and align your team's targets in order to be SMART. Then, discuss the goals with the team and get a feedback. If someone else has set the targets, then, an internal negotiation is required in order to convince the party that has put the goals that they should think SMART in order for the team to achieve.

To guide your team in setting achievable goals, start by assessing current capabilities and resources. Break down larger targets into smaller, manageable objectives, using the SMART criteria (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound). Encourage open communication to understand challenges, adjust timelines if necessary, and provide support through regular check-ins and progress reviews. Empower the team to contribute to goal-setting to ensure alignment and commitment.

Targets are unrealistic when a plan or incremental steps are logically laid out with a realistic timeline. The following questions may help. *What is the main goal? *What are the secondary goals that support the attainment of the main goal? *What is the timeline (work backward from the deadline to establish completion dates of smaller tasks)? *Please be clear on who is responsible for what task and ensure everyone can access the document outlining the task. The document should be shared so that all parties can update it.

I have always encouraged my team to view targets within the context of risk and to consider the consequences of not achieving them. I believe that this empowers teams to prioritise the truly important and non negotiable targets over those which are less urgent, it encourages teams to reconsider deadlines, to redirect their activity and truly focus on the things that will have the biggest impact.