Which Goal-Setting Process Would You Use?
Based upon the level of experience and motivation of your staff, would your goal-setting process for the team be top down, bottom up, or neither? Why?
This is an interesting question. Having been tutored (early in my career) in the MBO process of goal setting, I’ve witnessed the lack of support upper management gives the process when lower level managers and front line employees endeavor to employ MBO and the resulting objectives conflict with what upper management is trying to accomplish. So I would have to say that Top Down is better only because it is what will be accepted. This is not to say MBO (Quality Circles and the like)don't have a place, it is just that the corporate environment in the U.S. has not embraced it as much as it could have.
Our goal-setting process for the team would be top down. Each year, top management establishes company goals. From there, middle management sets goals for their divisions and departments. Finally, individuals in the departments set their goals that align with the department goals.
When an individual or team meets their goal, it is recognized by the department. Then, it is announced to the division depending on its impact. Finally, it is posted on the Intranet or announced by top management for the company recognition depending on its magnitude.
I have used both and here is why. Top down is important when your team is on a roll. When goals are being met they expect you to raise them. Failure to do so tells them that you think their hard work was an accident and that you don't believe in their ability to do it again. It has been my experience that after hitting an aggressive goal the team will try to pull back a little to give themself a little breathing room. A team leader cannot afford that to happen. If you give them that luxury they will usually produce at a lower level.
However, if the team does not make a goal they are usually upset about it and more motivated to make the next one happen. This is the best time to consult with them about what kind of goal they think will be realistic. More often than not they will set their goal higher than you would have. This will produce higher results for the team. Nobody likes to lose twice in a row!
Very interesting take. The inverse can also be successful. High performing groups can respond to top-down challenges, but tend to have higher expectations of their own performance. Having input to their goals can lead to amazing outcomes. Teams that are struggling need to focus on realistic goals, yes, but need the encouragement and validation from a manager that success is possible. Thanks, Patrick.
I would have to agree with MR. Nutter. I have used both over the years.
My goal setting process would be from the top down. The Board of Trustees released our company's mission and new strategic goals for the next 5 years.
Also, we have just hired a new Chancellor and I have just hired 4 new staff within the last 5 months. Having top down goal setting is more realistic until everyone has the opportunity to learn more about the organization and more about the new Chancellor's mission for the college. I think that having bottom up goal setting would be stressful and unrealistic at this time.
I am new to goal setting for others but it appears our company does both. We have organizational goals set from the top but our personal growth is always set from the bottom. I imagine it is my job to blend them together.
As a college branch campus many of the directives or plans come from the main campus and as the branch Dean it is my responsibility to make it known to campus leaders what needs to be accomplished. Therefore I feel goal-setting from top down would be most effective to achieve campus goals.
I have used both. I prefer bottom up for myself but in work I have often used top down. Just depends on what you are dealing with and what will be most effective for the team.
Agreed. I prefer the bottom up over all, but sometimes it is just a must for the manager to utilize top down.
I would use the "Top-down goal setting, because my staff needs close supervision. My collection person needs coaching and training as to how to will approach students who are deliquent with their payments.She is relatively new to collections. She understands the company goals, but just needs some coaching as to how to approach the seriously deliquent students. I have set weekly specific,attainable goals and meetings to help her improve her collections skills.
Theresa,
Great use of top-down, especially given that your collections person is new to her role & pursuing those delinquent payments can be somewhat sticky. As she develops more skill & time in the role, most likely you will be able to slowly move to a bottom-up approach.
Ryan
It appears that the top-down method should be only viable for new hires, or junior managers that are still learning their role in the company system. Bottom up appears to be more efficient for experienced staff, and may even build more confidence for your team member since they will have more ownership over the goals that are set. The question is, when should the transition take place from top-down to bottom-up?
Great question. My opinion is that this will be a process over time. On smaller matters/projects I would start employing bottom-up & then slowly graduate to this for all.
I have found that people need to be prepared for this transition. While I believe that bottom-up is the best, some groups are not ready for this transition so we need to prepare them.
Ryan
It all depents on what goals are we setting. If a new employees to the organization or aren't familiar with organization a Top-Down goal. but for a employees that clearly understand the business strategy and custumer needs, as well as their own, Bottom-up goal should be set.
I find that it all depends on the situation on which method to implement. Even throughout the process the methods may change due to the situations that arise.
In order to have the best outcome I find that adaptability to the situation at hand is one of the key factors to its success. The obstacles that present themselves to motivate the staff in a positive direction may mean to regroup and adjust how the goal-setting process will be done.
Great point Felicia. The best course of action, as you say, may need to adapt & change. However the worst course of action is always to stubbornly refuse to adapt & change & try & convince everyone that you are right. We don't know what a project or day may hold, so we must be ready to adapt.
Ryan
For my staff that would be bottom up, I have a number of staff member at different skill level so I would have to assign their goals accordingly.
I prefer to set my own goals. When I get "top down" goals or "bottom up" goals, I often find that they have little to no reality to what I have to do and what I can/cannot do since the person setting them is not dealing with my schedule. In a position where I am part-time, I find that the understanding of a full-time educator of what I can/cannot do is not always realistic. Nevertheless, setting goals and following the goals of an agency is important.
