An Essential Element of Leadership Circle of Success
Why? “Just Because” is what my Mother would say. During my teaching career my students disliked my “Why” questions, seemingly, because it made them think. I used to not like Moms answer and then I read Simon Sinek’s book Start With Why!
So Why is Goal Setting an essential element of the Leadership Circle of Success? Because it has been an essential part of achieving what ones wants, dreams, and desires for over 40 years. Despite, the several articles on Google that say “Goal setting doesn’t work,” there are many more that say “it is a major step to achieving success, regardless of your business, desires and needs.” Furthermore, there are several ideas on how to go about setting goals, even SMART Goals.
Therefore, “Why Goal Setting?” Because they work. And setting SMART Goals has been the most purposeful and successful method to setting and achieving goals.
So, Accept the Fact that they work, resolve yourself of the need to set SMART Goals, and get on with it.
Setting SMART Goals is “Essential Element” Number 4 in the Essential Elements of Leadership Circle of Success! To fully understand its importance requires some research into the theory of motivation, which leads to David Hume’s Moral Philosophy, theory of the mind.
Hume maintains that reason alone is not a motivator, but rather is the “slave of passions” that are derived from sentiments of feeling of approval, i.e. esteem, praise. These feelings provide the intrinsic values one places on the “why” of their behavior. The “passion” becomes the “intention,” according to Hume, driving the motivation.
As you may recall, we determined that “why” is about becoming something greater than self that is based on ones dreams or vision of a status in the future, which results in creating and writing a Vision Statement – Essential Element Number 2 in the Circle of Success.
Regardless of one’s feelings and beliefs of the process of SMART Goal setting, many leadership writers, speakers, mentors, and coaches maintain, with strong evidence, that goal setting strongly supports the intentionality of motivation for success. And, SMART Goal setting is the overall best method of setting meaningful and purposeful goals. Following Hume’s philosophy, SMART Goals setting is the “means” by which the passion – intention – is turned into reality.
SMART Goal Setting Process
There are five parts to the SMART Goal Setting process and well-established ways to construct each step. Well written goals are Specific, Measurable, Achievable or Attainable, Realistic, and Time limited in accomplishing. Briefly below are suggestions on each part. Remember SMART Goals are based on one’s Vision and Mission Statements.
Specific: Exact, to the point, clear and understandable.
So, let’s say you want to become a Certified Accountant with the vision of owning your own personal business. I can see the need for at least five separate goals to turn the vision into reality: Bachelor’s Degree; Certification; Location (city/state/address); Starting Business and Intention of Business (small business entities/tax preparation/corporate).
Example for bachelor’s degree in Accounting.
Graduate with a Bachelor’s in Science Degree from (college)…….
Pass and obtain Public Accountant Certification (CPA) …………
Measurable: Gauge for success, track to follow, college grades, and determine success.
Graduate with a Bachelor in Science Degree (college) with 3.75 GPA …….
Achievable/Attainable: Can I get into the college I want; do I have the grades to get in college and be successful; Am I (or can I be) admitted to the college I want? If all are achievable/attainable, then continue with above goal.
Graduate with a Bachelor’s in Science Degree from University of _______ with a 3.75 or higher GPA by…….
Realistic: If all the above answers to the above are affirmative, if ACT/SAT eligible and there are no other roadblocks, then continue to next step.
Time/Date: earliest time possible from the date of writing goal and current situation. Requires some calculations, motivation, and known restraints. Once determined, write the complete SMART Goal.
Graduate with a Bachelor’s in Science Degree from University of Florida (or selected college) with a 3.75 or higher GPA no later than June 30, 2025.
Given the example used in this article, you can now write goals for the other four situations I mentioned above. That way you have more than sufficient goals for Essential Element Number Four to meet your Personal Leadership Circle of Success.
The next article will cover Essential Element Number 5 that is absolutely necessary to accomplish your goals, which will in turn your Mission Statement, and therefore, your Vision Statement into a reality.
Additionally, and just as important, you never compromise your Core Values – Essential Element Number 1 – so that you will remain focused not only with Vision, Mission, and Goals, and your Character will remain as authentic as possible throughout life.
Good luck and “Keep your Personal Circle of Success Quest Alive!”
References:
Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy at https://plato.stanford.edu/hume-moral/.
Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy at https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/hume/#Mor.
Gregory, Alyssa, 2019. Getting Started With Goal Setting in Five Steps, Retrieved on 11/13/2020 from The Balance Small Business at
https://www.thebalancesmb.com/get-started-with-goal-setting-in-five-steps-2951808.
Ward, Susan, 2020. Your Guide to Setting Personal and Business Goals, Retrieved on 11/13/2020 from The Balance Small Business at
https://www.thebalancesmb.com/goal-setting-your-guide-to-setting-goals-2948131.
Additional References by David McCuistion.
https://vanguardldrship.wordpress.com/2020/07/26/circle-of-success-part-ii/
https://vanguardldrship.wordpress.com/2017/06/05/why/
https://vanguardldrship.wordpress.com/2016/11/12/3-essentials-necessary-for-sustainable-success/
Compass Leadership: Creating a Circle of Success 