Are you a new year, new me person? I am. People tease me for it but I embrace it. I never miss an opportunity for inspiration. January marks the start of a new year for all of us and a new fiscal year for many organizations. If you aren’t one to set resolutions, let’s think of this moment differently. It’s time to set new goals. With goals, you need a plan. How are you going to achieve them? When you think about your goals, are you measuring what matters?
As a nonprofit leader, there are many factors that go into goal setting. Goals can be driven by strategy, budget, mission, and aspiration. Goals are a catalyst for growth and a continuous source of motivation. How you track your progress toward your goals can play an important role in achieving them. Think of goals as a journey. We all want to get to the destination but if we don’t prepare, we won’t make it.
Before you go on a long road trip you gas up the car, engage your GPS, and pack supplies. You don’t start a cross-country trip with an empty tank, do you? Your gas tank will carry you 400 miles closer to your destination then you will fuel up again. Each tank of gas represents progress along your journey. Pulling out your wallet isn’t a high point of your trip but each tank of gas brings you closer. Each time you stop, you are closer than you were before. You are, in a way, measuring effort. You are putting in the work, time, and money to drive to your destination. That takes effort on your part.
Effort is the single most important measurement when it comes to achievement. Everyone wants to celebrate a goal but few fully understand the work it takes to get there. When you measure effort, you measure what matters. I’ve lost count of how many people ask me about how I measure my team’s performance. They are always looking for an answer tied to metrics – dollars, proposals, and the like. I consistently tell the same story. I value effort-based metrics. When you do the right things consistently, achievement will follow. If you put in hard work, you will get results.
It’s much easier to course correct when evaluating effort-based metrics than when you wait until your results are lagging. This sets you up for a more effective role as a coach and mentor, as opposed to an authoritarian. It’s an approach that feels authentic to me and aligns with my leadership style. Everyday actions equate to effort. By setting goals tied to consistent effort, I am measuring what matters to me as a leader.
I am aware of bottom line goals but I don’t fixate on them. I focus on taking a step forward every day, fueling the car, and ensuring actions are happening that build momentum. Think about those resolutions. Think about your budget goals. Create a plan that moves you closer to your goals. Along the way, make sure you are measuring what matters.
