May 01 2016
By: Terry L. Mathis
For many years now, business and safety consultants have urged organizations to develop SMART (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Timely) goals. Goals with these characteristics tend to not only motivate effort and get accomplished more often, but also tend to do more good once attained.
Just as the first step of motivating is to quit demotivating, the first step toward creating SMART goals perhaps should be to eliminate DUMB (Demoralizing, Uncertain, Mediocre, and Baffling) goals. We see a lot of them in our safety and business consulting. Look at your goals honestly and see if you find a few of these qualities. These characteristics can deal death blows to almost any effort, and ensure quick and complete failure. Keep a vigilant watch and don't let them creep into your improvement efforts.
Terry Mathis, Founder and retired CEO of ProAct Safety, has served as a consultant and advisor for top organizations the world over. A respected strategist and thought leader, Terry has authored five books, numerous articles, videos and blogs, and is known for his dynamic and engaging presentations. EHS Today has named him one of the '50 People Who Most Influenced EHS' four consecutive times. Business leaders and safety professionals seek Terry's practical insight and unique ability to introduce new perspectives that lead to real change.
