How to Set Achievable Goals for Teams

We tell our sales reps to be gritty, to work smarter, not harder, to smash their quota but don't always do the best job pairing those inspirational calls to action with tools and techniques that allow them to do the things we ask. For years, I’ve loved the GROW Goal Setting Model. It is a great model, but I found myself tweaking it to reflect the things I think are fascinating and that actually work for revenue teams. 🧠 Ideas like: - Neuroplasticity - Harms of moonshot thinking - Value of gratitude and meditation - The frustration reps feel when they work tirelessly and still miss quota. That’s why I developed the PATH. 👉 Steal this framework to help your team not only set goals but achieve them. The PATH framework is a four-step process that helps you and your team set actionable goals, anticipate challenges, and ensure every step aligns with your aspirations. 1. Plan: Setting a Focused Goal Everything starts with a solid foundation. The first step is setting a focused goal. SMART goals—Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound—work well here. This ensures you’re working toward a well-defined target, making it easier to stay focused and track progress. 2. Anticipate: Backcasting Once your goal is in place, it’s time to imagine your desired future state. I love writing goals as if they've already happened and writing out the details of what it took me to get there. This process ensures that you have realistic micro-actions that you can be accountable to on the PATH to achieving your goal. 3. Test: Pre-Mortem Next, you stress-test your plan with a pre-mortem (inspo credit: Annie Duke, Thinking in Bets) This exercise allows you to identify risks before they arise, so you can adjust your plan and stay on track. It also encourages you to uncover opportunities to leapfrog your progress by brainstorming creative solutions. 4. Harmonize: Alignment to Aspirations The final step ensures that your micro-actions align with your larger aspirations. It's a final sense check to ensure you've set a goal you care enough about that you'll put in the hard work required to achieve it. That work will be supported by a clear PATH to success. The PATH framework ensures you don’t just set goals—you achieve them. 💸 Want me to guide your sales or leadership team through this process as part of your year-end planning or SKO? Drop "PATH" in the comments to learn more.

"It's mid-February. Why haven't we hit our pipeline goals yet?" Sound familiar? I've seen it happen over and over again – a company sets aggressive revenue goals that expect growth overnight. No ramp. No seasonality considerations. No clear pipeline input strategy. Just a walk-to-the-numbers approach that assumes everything will improve at once. And now? We're six weeks into the year. ➜ The team is scrambling ➜ Performance marketing is being thrown at the problem ➜ The pressure is killing strategic thinking ➜ That "big, ambitious goal" is already feeling out of reach The mistake? These goals were set without deep forecasting – without factoring in ramp time, seasonality, pipeline source inputs, or efficiency bets. If your team is already feeling the weight of an unrealistic revenue target, here's what to do right now to reset: ➜ Run a forecast model. Look at historical data and current pipeline trends. What's actually achievable based on existing momentum? ➜ Find the gaps. Compare the forecast to the goals. Where's the shortfall? How much additional pipeline is needed? ➜ Factor in ramp & seasonality. If you're already behind, is Q1 even realistic? What's the natural pacing based on past trends? ➜ Back into the goal strategically. Instead of assuming marketing and sales can just "do more," set efficiency bets. Where can conversion rates, sales cycle lengths, volume, and/or ACV be realistically improved? ➜ Build a plan to bridge the gap. Align the team on where to focus – instead of just scrambling to hit a number. I've worked with 20+ companies, and the pattern is clear: Growth isn't a flip of a switch. It's a process.

“All of my traditional approaches to setting goals are falling flat,” my newest client admitted. “My team is going through the motions, but the goals we’re setting have no energy or meaning. I don’t know what to do.” I could hear the frustration in his voice. He wasn’t alone. I’ve had this same conversation with leaders across many industries. Traditional goal-setting methods—SMART goals, annual targets, quarterly OKRs—aren’t enough anymore. They look good on paper, but in practice? They often feel lifeless. Why? Because goals that don’t inspire don’t get achieved. A poorly set goal is like a malfunctioning GPS—it gives you the illusion of direction while leading you nowhere. If you want your team to not just chase a goal, but to own it—to commit with energy, creativity, and resilience—your goals need to meet four powerful criteria: 1️⃣ 𝗠𝗲𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗳𝘂𝗹 – The Fire That Fuels Action A goal without meaning is just a task. It won’t ignite passion, and it won’t sustain commitment when the road gets tough. Ask the team: ↪︎︎ Does this goal represent a true breakthrough? Does it challenge us to grow? ↪︎︎ Is the outcome worthy of being our #1 focus? If it’s not, it won’t command our best energy. The most powerful goals feel personal. They connect to a deeper sense of purpose. They make you feel alive. 2️⃣ 𝗠𝗲𝗮𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 – The Score That Drives Performance A goal that can’t be measured is like playing tennis without a net. You can exert tremendous effort, but you’ll never know if you’re winning. Ask the team: ↪︎︎ Can we objectively track progress toward this goal? If you can’t measure it, you can’t manage it. ↪︎︎ Do we know whether we’re winning or losing—both in terms of the result and the timeline? The most powerful goals have clear scoreboards—not just at the finish line, but throughout the journey. 3️⃣ 𝗠𝗼𝘃𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 – The Levers That Drive Success Setting a goal without defining the specific actions that will drive it is like planting a seed and hoping for rain. Ask the team: ↪︎︎ Do we know exactly what actions, if repeated consistently, will create success? ↪︎︎ Are those actions within our control? The best goals don’t rely on luck or external conditions. They are moved forward by deliberate, focused effort. 4️⃣ 𝗠𝗲𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 – The Impact That Makes It Worthwhile If you achieve this goal, will it be worth it? Will it have mattered beyond the numbers? Ask the team: ↪︎︎ Does this goal align with our deeper purpose? If not, why pursue it? ↪︎︎ Will achieving it create an impact we’ll be proud of—something that lasts? The best goals aren’t just achieved. They become stories—milestones of growth, impact, and transformation. When goals meet these four criteria—Meaningful, Measurable, Movable, and Memorable—they don’t just exist on a PowerPoint slide. They ignite teams. They create momentum. They change the game. #Heroic #Coaching #ThriveHive #4DX

This might be counterintuitive, but... My business grew exponentially the day I stopped dreaming big. I remember working nonstop, following my “big dream” of success. Because just like you, even I’ve heard it a million times: “Dream big, and the world is yours.” “Follow your dreams, and success will find you.” But here’s the truth: Big dreams, without clear goals, fade into thin air. Sure, it’s inspiring to imagine the future— -> Building a million-dollar business -> Become the best leader Have the most amazing team But the real results come from- >>Actionable, time-bound objectives —especially when you set them early. So, the ideal time for you to set 1-3 years goal as an entrepreneur is - In September to have 4 months to plan, execute, test, modify, and reiterate from the new year itself. Here’s how I set goals for me and my client’s business to grow revenue by 20-50% Annually: ✅ Start with ‘‘What, Why, and How’ What: Identify 1-2 outcomes that matter most- ~ Example: Increase profit margins by 10%. Why: Know why it’s crucial. ~ Example: “To fund team expansion and reduce my workload.” How: Map steps to achieve it. ~ Example: Automate tasks, cut expenses, focus on high-ROI clients. ✅ Align Goals Across Your Team Your team’s goals should sync with the company’s vision. ~ Example: If your target is to grow revenue by $500K, your sales team’s goal might be to close 50% more deals, while operations focuses on streamlining delivery. In my team, my key leader’s goals are aligned with mine. ✅ Break Goals into Quarters Q1: Kickstart execution. Focus on one big move (e.g., hiring, system optimization). Q2-Q3: Monitor progress. Ask: What’s working? What’s not? Adjust before it derails. Q4: Focus on results. This is the sprin Close strong by doubling down on what’s delivering the best ROI. Most of the entrepreneurs I work with, still tend to set goals in the wrong way. So, I ensure to keep their goals on track by: Avoiding vague goals. Instead of “grow the business,” I help them set measurable targets like “add $500K in new revenue.” Peeling off the layers and making them rethink whether the goal is inspiring enough. Simplifying team priorities. Stick to 2-3 clear objectives per department. And if you didn’t set your goal back in September and now feel overwhelmed by the amount of planning left to do with limited time. I get it, balancing current demands while trying to carve out time for forward planning is stressful. Start with this: Focus on your top 3 goals that will have the biggest impact—cutting costs, hiring key roles, or improving customer retention. Take action today. Momentum builds progress. The best time to plan for 2025 was in September. The second-best time? Right now. If you want help mapping your goals to become 35% more profitable in 2025, you can send me a DM.

How I build high-performing teams in 90 days (every mission): 1. Listen like a CIA agent This solves a number of problems: • Overlooked expertise within the team • Missed opportunities for innovation • Lack of trust between team members Start by having one-on-one conversations with each team member, focusing on their insights rather than complaints. 2. Empower the quiet voices I seek out the unheard experts, regardless of rank or title. In the SEALs, our best intel often came from the lowest-ranking team members. The same is true in business. I make it a point to create opportunities for every team member to share their ideas, especially in high-stakes situations. 3. Challenge the status quo I question "we've always done it this way" thinking. In combat, this mindset gets you killed. In business, it kills innovation and growth. Encourage your team to ask "Why?" at least once in every meeting. It's amazing what you'll uncover. 4. Cross-train team members I ensure everyone understands each other's roles. In the SEALs, we had to be ready to take over any position at a moment's notice. This same flexibility is crucial in business. Implement a rotation system where team members shadow each other for a day each month. 5. Set clear, measurable goals I establish SMART objectives for every mission. Vague goals lead to confusion and lack of direction. Clear goals align the team and drive performance. Work with your team to set specific, measurable goals for each project or quarter. Then hold everyone accountable. 6. Conduct regular after-action reviews I ensure we learn from every success and failure. In the military, we never ended a mission without a thorough debrief. This practice is just as valuable in the business world. Schedule a brief team debrief after each major project or milestone. Focus on what worked, what didn't, and why. TL;DR: It takes consistent effort to build high-performing teams. But listening actively, empowering all voices, challenging norms, cross-training, setting clear goals, and reviewing actions... That's how you will build trust, adaptability, and unbeatable team performance.

How to get s*** (sales) done 🚀 Everybody celebrates a winning point in sports, the same applies to sales, everybody celebrates when the deal is closed. But what I’ve found quite challenging is all the process behind that deal to actually happen and how to set goals, track them and measure the performance of a team until we switched to the OKR methodology. The great thing about this methodology is that if you structure it correctly it can combine the hairy ambitious aspirational goals with the key results that need to be tracked to make those happen. Setting sales quota and weekly goals helps measure each team member's progress but also motivates them to constantly improve in order to meet the goals set for the week, the month and the quarter. OKR → Objectives (what) and Key Results (how) 🔍 Here are some tips for applying this methodology: How to set my objectives? First, you should answer the following questions based on a 30-90 day period: ❓ What is important to achieve? ❓ What do we want to change? ❓ What do we want to see differently? How to set my Key Results (KRs)? Keep in mind that KRs are our focus and work as a "whole" to achieve a specific objective. These should be: ✅ Specific and time-bound ✅ Aggressive yet realistic ✅ Measurable and verifiable 💡 Tip: Do not include more than 3-5 KRs per objective and remember to measure them weekly to review progress. 💡 The most important tip: As with every other important project in your team, it takes time, patience and showing up everyday. Even the famous author of the methodology (John Doerr) states that to actually be successful with OKRs you need between 12 to 18 months. #OKR #ObjectivesAndKeyResults #GoalSetting #TeamPerformance #StrategicObjectives #Leadership #Productivity #SalesManagement

I had the pleasure last week of spending 2 days on-site with an amazing organization in Tampa talking about one of my favorite topics-LEADERSHIP! 💪 One subject we spent time on that led to some great conversation was "accountability." I shared with them that my perspective is that "the only meaningful measure of a leader’s effectiveness is whether the team succeeds or fails; ultimate accountability starts and ends with the leader." I like to use a simple, 5 step model to establish accountability within organizations: Step 1: Set clear expectations and goals Ensure that every team member knows their specific roles and responsibilities.  Clarity reduces ambiguity and makes it easier to hold individuals accountable Use SMART goals- Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and time-bound  Clear and well-defined goals ensure team members understand what is expected and how their performance will be measured (no surprises at evaluation time) Step 2: Establish clear capability-what skills are needed to meet the expectations, what resources are needed, and how can you eliminate any gaps. Are there team members not capable of meeting your expectations and goals? Step 3: Measure, Measure, Measure-There should be agreement between you and your team on how success is going to be measured. Then you must do it, make it visible to them and discuss it frequently Step 4: Provide clear, frequent feedback-Honest, open, on-going feedback builds trust and accountability. Consistent conversations with team members (and the team as a whole) on how they are doing compared to expectations is critical. Employees should NEVER be surprised as to how they are performing versus expectations Step 5: Ensure Clear consequences-This is the toughest step but most important. “The expectation you “overlook” now has set the new expectation.” Your three high-level choices at this point are to “repeat”, “reward” or “release” What are some ways you have seen accountability effectively established within organizations? #accountability #leadership #leadershiphacks #lifehacks #CEO #management #selfhelp #acilconsulting #achangeinlatitudeconsulting #continuousimprovement #leansixsigma

I share how I get SMARTER. We often hear about the importance of setting Goals. We most likely know the importance ourselves. But when it comes to setting a Goal, We find that we often fail at the start. And set ourselves with a Goal that is too: - Hard - Vague - Unable to understand progress An example --> 𝗜 𝘄𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗜𝗺𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘃𝗲 𝗘𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗼𝘆𝗲𝗲 𝗦𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘀𝗳𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻. This is too Vague and How do we know we've succeeded? So how do we Set Proper Goals? Let's be SMART about this. Heck, let's be SMARTER. 𝗦𝗠𝗔𝗥𝗧 - Wrapped in a memorable Acronym, this classic method is good for setting clear and achievable goals. S - Specific M - Measurable A - Achievable R - Relevant T - Time-bound Our example becomes --> 𝗜𝗺𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘃𝗲 𝗘𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗼𝘆𝗲𝗲 𝗦𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘀𝗳𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗯𝘆 15% 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻 𝘀𝗶𝘅 𝗺𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗵𝘀 𝗯𝘆 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗿𝗲𝗴𝘂𝗹𝗮𝗿 𝗼𝗻𝗲-𝗼𝗻-𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗺𝗲𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀, 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘃𝗶𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗱𝗱𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗳𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗱𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗼𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗲𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗼𝘆𝗲𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗴𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻. Now that is SMART. 𝗦𝗠𝗔𝗥𝗧𝗘𝗥 - A couple of extra letters, E & R, create a more robust system for Goals. E - Evaluate R - Readjust Our example adds --> 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗱𝘂𝗰𝘁 𝗘𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗼𝘆𝗲𝗲 𝗦𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘀𝗳𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘀𝘂𝗿𝘃𝗲𝘆𝘀 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝘁𝘄𝗼 𝗺𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗵𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗮𝗱𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗰𝗰𝗼𝗿𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗹𝘆. Now our Goal is SMARTER. That is a Goal. We are more dynamic and adaptable to changing circumstances. Pass your goals through the SMARTER framework today. ✍️ Have you used a Framework for Goal-Setting? Share in the Comments. ~~~~~~~~ 🔔 Follow me, Brad Smith, for daily actionable Leadership & Fitness insights. 👋 Need Clarity around your Goals? Message me today!