How to Set Meaningful Goals

Bad goal setting can cripple your business (I know from firsthand experience). Here's how to set goals that propel your business forward. Step 1: Analyze last year’s performance. You can’t set the right goals without the correct information. So, take some time to gather data from the previous year to find areas of strength and weakness. Look at your: Revenue streams — what are your most profitable areas? Your biggest cost centers? Sales & marketing — can you spot trends in customer acquisition or marketing ROI? Operations — where is your business bottlenecked? Where might you be overstaffed? Employee performance — look at productivity and churn. Which direction are things going? — Step 2: Brainstorm areas for improvement. Write down all the possible things you could work on. This is a great group activity for your leadership team or even the whole company (depending on your size). The data you’ve collected in step 1 should give you some idea of opportunity areas. One tip: don’t discount an idea just because it’s hard. Often the biggest impact things are hard to do. But you should be realistic about the effort required to get something done, and its chances of success. — Step 3: Set SMART goals Specific: Define clear and precise goals. Instead of saying "increase sales," say "increase sales by 12% in the next 6 months." Measurable: Ensure each goal has quantifiable metrics. E.g. "Reduce customer acquisition costs by 15% by the end of the year." Achievable: Set realistic goals based on your resources, budget and other constraints. E.g. if you have limited cash, avoid goals that would severely impact your monthly cash flow. Relevant: Align goals with your overall business objectives. Ensure they address the key areas for improvement identified earlier. Time-bound: Set deadlines for each goal. E.g. "launch a new service by Q3." — Step 4: Develop an Action Plan For each goal, create an action plan that outlines: Steps and Milestones: Break down each goal into smaller, manageable tasks. Set milestones to track progress. Resources: Identify the resources needed (time, money, personnel) and ensure they are available. Responsibilities: Assign tasks to specific employees. Ensure everyone understands their role and what is expected of them. Timeline: Establish a timeline with deadlines for each task and milestone. Doubling down on one point there: always assign tasks to a single person. They can still bring in other people to contribute, but it’s one person’s responsibility to get it across the finish line. — Step 5: Monitor and Adjust Goals are not static. Regularly check your progress, and adjust based on new insights or changing circumstances. Schedule monthly and/or quarterly reviews to keep everything on track. Having a simple KPI tracker is a good way to keep tabs on things. Make sure you’re regularly checking in, and ask people to flag any roadblocks or necessary adjustments as soon as they identify them.

Yesterday I took the entire revenue team (sales, cs, marketing) off the floor for out for a very specific training. Goal Setting. Yep. The entire org for over 60 min together learning how to set and achieve goals. I do this 2x a year with my teams. Why? Because most people never accomplish their goals because they never actually set them and never actually create a plan to achieve them. I've gotten pretty dang good at setting goals. I've gotten pretty dang good at achieving goals. It makes life so much more fun. So here are the key concepts I teach in goal settting. 1. Set a goal in each of the 5 buckets. Self. Health. Wealth. Proffessional. Experience. 2. Identify the Keystone Goal - Which goal if achieved will have the biggest impact on all the rest. 3. Who do you need to BE in order to achieve this goal - How would this person act, work, communicate, behave, etc 4. What do you need to BELIEVE to achieve this goal - this combined with number 3 is where we create our affirmations. 5. Why do you want this goal - aka what will change in your world when you achieve it - If nothing changes... nothing changes. 6. What are you done dealing with now/whats the negative of NOT achieving your goal - Having a negative is important when things get hard. 7. Why you Why Now - Why are you capable of achieving this goal, what traits, resources, etc do you have that allow you to believe you can do this. 8. What are your 3x3s - 3 things daily, weekly, and monthly that if done will give you your best shot at achieving - Example - Put workout clothes out the night before with the alarm across the room - that would be a good daily for health 9. Make it visual - Vision boards (we will be doing this in a couple weeks as a team) - but also visualize it each morning, each evening, not just the accomplishing of the goal, but the process to achieve it. 10. Accountability - Share it with people that not only want to see you win, but also with people that won't allow you to lose/will hold you to the fire. --- All written out by each individual and then my challenge to them is to read it every morning and every night for 60 days. Watch what happens when you do. A team that sets goals together, wins together. I can't wait to see so many of theirs goals, so many of their affirmations, and so many of their achievements. This is going to be good ya'll. Just wait and see. PS - this is one of the most popular modules in the Sales Leadership Accelerator in fact it's unlocked right out the gate for all members. PPS - I'll be doing this workshop at Pavilion GTM in a few weeks as well here in Austin. Lets set and smash some goals ya'll!

Goal setting isn't just about dreaming big (which I do LOVE to do). It's about creating a tangible roadmap. I wouldn't have gotten as many promotions, reached the C-suite (twice) as fast as I did, or started a business without setting goals. Here’s why: 👉 Clarity: Clear goals provide direction and focus. They help you understand where you're going and how to get there. 👉 Progress Tracking: Goals allow you to measure progress, celebrate achievements, and adjust your course when necessary. 👉 Success: Studies show that people who write down their goals are 42% more likely to achieve them (Source: Dr. Gail Matthews, Dominican University). So, how can we set ourselves up for success in the last 5 months of 2024? 1️⃣ Reflect: Look back at the first half of the year. What worked? What didn’t? Use these insights to inform your goals for the rest of the year. 2️⃣ Be Specific: Vague goals breed vague results. Be as specific as possible with your goals. 3️⃣ Write Them Down: Put pen to paper. Writing your goals solidifies them. 4️⃣ Plan: Break down each goal into actionable steps. What can you start doing now, in the next 5 months, to pave the way for your success? 5️⃣ Review Regularly: Keep your goals front and center. Regular reviews keep you accountable. Goal setting is how I navigate the ups and downs, the wins and setbacks. It's how I stay focused on what truly matters. I remember the first time I set a major career goal. It seemed daunting, almost out of reach. But I broke it down into smaller, manageable steps. Each step was a milestone, a reason to celebrate. And eventually, I got there. Setting goals isn't just a one-time thing. It's an ongoing process. It's about being flexible, adapting to changes, and staying committed. It's about understanding that setbacks are not failures but opportunities to learn and grow. In my 'Taking Up Space' program, I emphasize the importance of goal setting. It's not just about professional growth but personal growth too. It's about becoming the best version of yourself, one step at a time. If you're not already in the habit of setting goals, start now. It doesn't have to be complicated. Start with something simple, something that excites you. Write it down. Make a plan. Take that first step. Surround yourself with a community that supports you, that celebrates your wins, and encourages you when things get tough. The Women Wave community is one such place. Nearly 200 members in B2B sales, marketing, entrepreneurship, and leadership, all coming together to support and grow. If you're interested in joining, send me a DM. We have 5 months left in 2024. Dream big. Set goals. Take action. Let's make it happen together. What are your goals for the rest of this year? How do you plan to achieve them?