It’s January and as we start the new year the internet is awash with posts about goal-setting. Particularly popular these days is the contrarian theme “why goal-setting doesn’t work” and you may be wondering,
“Is it true? Is goal-setting just a bunch of hype?”
My personal belief is that goal-setting is crucial for success, in business as in life, especially for companies operating in the international space, where the stakes are so much higher than in the domestic sphere. But let’s be honest: goal-setting doesn’t always deliver on its promise.
In this post, I’ll explore why goal-setting often falls short. In my next post, I’ll share actionable steps to ensure that your business gets real results from its goal-setting efforts.
Why goal-setting doesn’t always work
The “Set and forget” Approach
I’ve seen companies treat goal-setting as little more than a box-ticking exercise, usually because the owners require it. The process typically looks like this:
- Management gathers for a day or two, brainstorms goals, and creates a strategic plan.
- Outcomes are typed up and emailed around.
- Everyone returns to business as usual.
By the end of the year, little progress has been made. The goals are reviewed briefly—often with a sigh of disappointment—and the cycle starts over.
This approach makes goal-setting feel underwhelming at best and pointless at worst. Without ongoing, targeted action, goals remain unfulfilled, leading to frustration and disillusionment.
Enthusiastic, Unrealistic Goal-Setting
Some leaders embrace goal-setting with gusto, but their ambitions far outstrip reality. I’ll admit it—I’ve been there. Early in my career, I regularly set sky-high goals with my team, only to fall short repeatedly.
The problem? I didn’t fully grasp the resources, energy, and investment required to achieve those goals. The result was disappointment and embarrassment for me and demoralisation for my team.
In hindsight, unrealistic goal-setting is often a sign of inexperience or overconfidence. It reflects a lack of understanding about what’s truly achievable within a given timeframe.
“Fuzzy” Goals
We’ve all heard of S.M.A.R.T. goals (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, Time-bound), but how often do we actually use this framework?
Goals like “get fit,” “increase sales,” or “lose weight” are too vague, maybe. Without specific targets, it’s hard to measure progress or stay motivated. Fuzzy goals lack clarity and actionable steps, making them difficult—if not impossible—to achieve.
No Follow-Through
Goal-setting can be exciting, but then comes the part where you have to measure your activity and results on an ongoing basis, to show how you’re tracking against the goals you set.
Execution is where the magic happens, and businesses often fail to hit their objectives because they don’t connect the high-level goals with daily activities. For example, I worked with a company that aimed to expand into India but allocated 85% of their resources to the home market. Unsurprisingly, the expansion goal remained a dream.
Tracking progress against goals is also crucial, yet it’s often neglected as teams prioritize urgent tasks over important ones. A lack of follow-through undermines even the best goal-setting efforts.
No Consequences
Lastly, goal-setting is unlikely to deliver results without accountability. If there are no rewards for achieving goals—or repercussions for missing them—people are less likely to take them seriously.
Large organizations tie executive bonuses to measurable outcomes, creating a strong incentive to deliver results. However, smaller and mid-sized companies often lack this kind of structure, and the weak connection between goals and consequences is one more reason why many companies struggle to make the goal-setting process work for them.
If you’ve enjoyed reading “Is Goal-Setting Just a Bunch of Hype”, check out the companion blog “Five Ways to Make Goal-Setting Works for Your Team” to discover how to make goal-setting deliver results for your team.
