As a leader, the beginning of the year is a time to take a strategic look at the year ahead and determine what specifically it is you want to accomplish throughout the year, understand where you are and what it will take to get you there. Many leaders see goal setting as something that they "have to" do rather than "get to" do. For me, it has always been an important step in driving my success. I don't mean just accomplishing the goal, it's the personal growth that I experience as a result that is most important.

If you are a leader who looks at goal setting as something that must be done, to enter into the system, and stay off “the naughty list”, I encourage you to consider the impact this attitude has on your employees. I had a coaching session this week where the employee was frustrated because his leader couldn’t find time or energy to discuss his goals. As a result, he felt “unimportant”, “uninspired” and “not aligned” with his leader. The leaders ambivalence to goal setting was not only noticed, it actually had a negative impact.

Think differently about your goals

This year I encourage you to think differently about your goals. For each goal, consider how it will impact you personally. What will you learn from accomplishing it, what will you be able to do differently, how will it challenge you, what will you feel like when you have accomplished it, what opportunities will it create for you? This year, make it about you, not just your department / organization. Consider the impact for you personally. This is what you are truly gaining by accomplishing your goals - personal growth.

Do the same for your employees

As you have discussions with your employees about their goals, get curious and help them identify how working toward the goal will provide them opportunity for personal growth. Inquire about what "soft skills" they will need to strengthen and which ones they already possess. Find out why accomplishing this is important to them and how you can support them. Instead of looking at goal setting as a task you have to do, see it as a powerful opportunity to coach and develop your employees.

Leadership Coaching Tip:

Use Curiosity as a coaching tool during goal setting discussions with your employees. Curiosity is asking thoughtful targeted questions with the objective to learn. This means the questions aren't leading toward a desired outcome. To use curiosity, you will need to let go of sharing your opinion and be completely open to exploration.

You will likely use three types of questions:

• Closed - usually result in a one word answer

• Open - typically require more thought and elaboration

• Probing - help gain clarification and encourage deeper discussion

While each type has a purpose, you will want to strive for more open and probing questions.

Using this coaching skill during your goal setting discussions will not require a significant amount of additional effort on your part but, it will have a big impact on your employees. Take the time to make sure they feel important, inspired and aligned.

“When you’re curious you find lots of interesting things to do.” ~Walt Disney

Other Resources:

Good Leadership is all About Asking Good Questions

What are Your Big Rocks?

AIM Smart Goal Setting Template

Are you ready to radically change your approach to work and life?

Take the Energy Leadership Index (ELI). The ELI is an attitudinal assessment tool that captures how an individual currently perceives and approaches work and life. With the awareness and insights gained through the Energy Leadership Index debrief, you have the opportunity to reshape your attitudes, worldview and “transform who you are.”