Page 9 - Planning And Prioritizing Time Management Manual

power of goal alignment and setting and achieving goals, you have a great opportunity to use

the conversation as a starting point for career growth.

Here are 10 things to keep in mind before setting goals at work and filling out that goal sheet.

1. Get clarity on your team’s structure.

First things first – you must understand the functions and interrelationships of your team in order
to set workplace goals that will make your team more productive and helpful to the rest of the
organization. In a practical sense, every team serves as a supporting unit and a consumer of

support at the same time. Get the mapping right, and you will be able to identify specific and
measurable things you can do better to help processes and projects run smoother.

2. Talk to your boss. What can you do to make their job easier and make them look good?

No matter what your job description says, your job is really all about making your manager’s life
easier. Think of it as an opportunity to be of service. Having a frank conversation about how you
can support your boss will go a long way towards defining your workplace goals.

3. Focus on what you can control and have a plan for the rest.

For every workplace goal, there are factors you can control and factors that are out of your

hands. Be clear on the distinction and have a plan for what to do if the out-of-your-control
factors don’t line up.

Imagine that you are a supervisor within an accounting department in a hospital. Let’s say you
set a goal to shorten the month-end close timeline by 2 business days. Success will depend on
the skill and collaboration of your accounting department (something you can contribute to and

control), and on the ability of other departments to deliver critical data on time (something that
is out of your control). It is smart to have a plan to coordinate the month-end close with other
departments, remind them of the deadline and keep the communication lines open – but you
must have a plan and an accountability agreement in the event they fail to deliver.

4. Think about your career path in the long run.

What is your ideal next professional role? What qualifications and skills do you need to qualify?
Which success stories will make you a suitable and impressive candidate? Line up your personal
goals for work in a way that allows you to gather those accomplishments and learn the skills.

5. Go beyond immediate tasks and think of the big picture.

Your growth as a professional is bigger than productivity and proficiency at your desk! Career
progression often requires a broad scope of skills and experiences. Add professional seminars

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