Enhancing Group Commitment to Goals

Research in organizational psychology shows a positive relationship exists between goal-setting and increasing performance.* The reason goals work is they can help close the gap between where you are and where you want to be. When you are unhappy with your current position and committed to change, properly designed goals can provide you with a process and direction towards closing that gap.

Goal achievement is largely a function of commitment to that goal. But when working with a group that possesses competing values and objectives, how can you create an environment that embraces and remains committed to a common goal?

“It starts with developing a shared vision for what’s important,” said Larry Scott, Commissioner of the PAC 12, when asked how he aligns CEOs who have their own priorities during an interview with the ADU.** In his unique position, Commissioner Scott is charged with managing multiple stakeholders (12 universities), with changing priorities and reactive environments.

When devising an organizational vision, the inclusion of key stakeholders ensures that vision is shared. A clearly stated vision increases group commitment by providing identity and purpose. It gives people a cause to rally around and replaces opportunism with cooperation.* A vision sets the direction of where you want to go, but it doesn’t tell you how to get there.

The energy and enthusiasm resulting from the development of a compelling vision will wear off over time. Processes need to be in place to sustain a level of commitment to that vision. After alignment in vision is achieved, Scott facilitates an annual goal-setting session where leaders come together to define strategic objectives, develop action items, and identify key performance indicators (KPIs). The importance of taking this extra step to clearly define the sub-goals (action items) and measures (KPIs) can’t be overstated. “What gets measured gets managed.”

Development of key performance indicators can be challenging, as some goals lend themselves to tracking more than others. For example, generating revenue can be more easily tracked than bettering the subjective well-being of a unit. This is where creativity can help when considering how to quantify your progress. Ask yourself (and your group), “What will it look like when we are successful?” Then, work backward to determine the milestones you need to achieve to get there.

People like winning, and they will be more committed to a long-term goal when they can see their progress. When setting goals for your group, make sure they are specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and time-bound (SMART). Goals written with this in mind provide a pathway for improvement and a yardstick to measure against. They enable us to hold ourselves and others accountable. If the attainment of a goal is left up for interpretation, people will give themselves the benefit of the doubt.

In volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous (VUCA) environments, crises are bound to pop up. The urgent task will always overtake the important task and it may feel like you’re never winning, but goal setting provides a mechanism for monitoring and evaluating progress on the important measures that could otherwise be pushed aside. By taking the time to define what is important, plan out the specific actions required, identify the metrics to track progress over time, and you will generate sustainable commitment within a group towards achieving your goals.

*Latham, G.P. & Locke, E.A. (2006) “Enhancing the benefits and overcoming the pitfalls of goal setting.” Organizational Dynamics.

**https://athleticdirectoru.com/video/conference-leadership-strategy-pac12-larry-scott/