Frameworks on Goals

Frameworks on Goals

Goal work is team work.

Goal setting is an art and a science.  As such, it is a skill that can be practiced and improved.  Part of the way we make goal setting and achievement more successful is through the standardization and utilization of frameworks to help us shape our goals.  By using a common language and predictable pattern in the goal setting, progress toward, evaluation, and close-out, we make goals more habitual and more likely to be used effectively.  The good news (or perhaps bad) is that there is no singular, universal framework for goals.  As you explore several below, the one that resonates best with you and your family is all that matters.  Feel free to "ooch" between goal frameworks until you find one that works for you and yours...then rinse and repeat.   

Have a system.

The quintessential framework that is perhaps most well-known is the SMART system.  The idea is that our written goals need to be articulated clearly and according to the same mnemonic every time.  This consistency breeds habit and eventually autopilot automation to the goal-setting process where we can coast through the setting of goals.  Each goal should be specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound goals (e.g. "Lose 12 pounds by this time next year").  This dialed-in goal as opposed to the nebulous end state of "be healthier" is where the rubber meets the road.  In the first, we can break down clear steps and check in on our progress until we get across the finish line.  In the latter example, simply eating 20 bags of junk food this year instead of 21...is, technically, healthier...but probably not what you meant.   

Practice matters.

Someone, probably trying to be a wise guy or sell a book came up with the counterpoint to SMART as DUMB or Doable, Understandable, Manageable, and Believable.  This has a similar ring to the one above, but using synonyms combines a few concepts.  I like how it adds "believable" to the mix and while splitting hairs, having the buy-in or belief of the team that the goal is worthwhile is important.  In other words, let's say you're going for less screen time as a family...without the buy-in or belief that this is a meaningful sacrifice, you may struggle to get family members, especially kids or teens on board.  

Use your resources.

Another framework that you could use is the PPOST - Problems, Priorities, Objectives, Strategies, Tactics.  This may be a standalone or nested "second tier" for each of the SMART objectives depending on the level of granularity or your level of planning nerd.  Here, we define the problem "I'm getting too heavy" and then list out the increasingly detailed steps to solve the problem.  "My priority is being more healthy," "I'll lose 12 pounds by this time next year," "In order to do so, I will employ big rock strategies of diet and exercise," "I will only shop from a list after I have meal planned and I will walk around the block every morning and evening around work."  You can picture this drawn out like a pyramid with a wider base (more tactics) leading to the pinnacles of problem-solving.   

Start early.

Another framework that you might find helpful integrates the method or process into the bigger picture.  The Task-Purpose-End State helps you define the who/when/where/how (task), the why (purpose), and what (desired end state).  In a faith example, we can look at the task being "get to church three times each month," the purpose of "being around fellow believers, building relationships, and living out faith better," and the desired end state, "change our family tree and lifestyle by integrating faith into more daily life."  You can see how we can likely have several tasks that contribute to the desired end state...and again this probably looks pyramid-shaped when drawn out.  

Get help.

CLEAR - Collaborative, Limited, Emotional, Appreciable, and Refinable is another framework that may resound with your family.  It adds the "team sport" connotation with collaboration similar to the Jim Collins BHAG or Big Hairy Audacious Goal that rallies those around us to something bigger than ourselves.  It also adds to the emotional connection that is likely required to make meaningful progress.  The "limited" component can be helpful if you end up with hazy end states that are zombie-like, in that there is no defined goal post and consequently, we may just wander...not aimlessly...but never land.  Lastly, the whole "refinable" piece is huge...if your mission or the environment changes...you should be able to change your goals along within.   

Build a team.

5 R's of Resolutions - Results, Reasons, Reflection, Resources, Responsibilities was something put together by someone at Forbes, more related to resolutions...but probably equally applicable to the goal conversation.  In this framework, we use reflective introspection to help gather the "why" of reasons and clearly define the results we're after.  Furthermore, this adds on the resources and responsibilities that get us closer to the whole 5 W's than perhaps some of the other frameworks.  By defining who will do what with which resources at the outset we can see the potential pitfalls or holes in our goals...and correct them...or alter our course before we sink too much time, energy, effort, and resources into something unrealistic.  

Practice gets you closer to the
end goal.

One other from our disaster and crisis management world is splitting goals into two broad buckets.  The first is the more philosophical or strategic Management Objectives (conditions for the team to be successful - "provide for responder safety" or "utilize all local resources first to bolster the economy while we're on this disaster" and the more granular "what we want to do"Control Objectives.  The control objectives tend to have an operational resource assigned and require tactics to get them accomplished (e.g. "keep the fire north of Interstate 123").  This combination of how we do our business coupled with what we do can help us not miss the forest for the trees.  At home, we may have a management objective regarding "keeping balance in our work and home life" and a tactical objective that fits under the umbrella of "providing financially for our family."  We can flesh out details particular to our situation, but having the guard rails of the management objective shapes what and how we go after our tactical objective.  Without boundaries, we may be tempted to "work a million hours away from family" only to realize our sacrifice ends in a divorced spouse and alienated children.  

See the top.

Lastly for us this week, we can also tackle this from a problem-centric approach.  Defining the problem is key, making it crystal clear is critical to dial in your future efforts.  Who is facing the problem, or who are the problem stakeholders (you, spouse, family, co-workers, church, etc).  What is the problem?  Describe it.  Where is the problem primarily at (home, work, etc)?  Why is it a problem (what are the root causes, not just the symptoms)?  Diving in here helps you make sure that you're setting a goal that will actually combat the situation you're concerned about.

Be a bear.

As we wrap up our chat on frameworks, consider the constraints or criteria that you'll run each goal through...think of it as the "sniff test" so to speak.  As you set out, ask yourselves questions like the following, "Under what conditions is this possible?"  "Are the trade-offs worth it?"  "Is the juice worth the proverbial squeeze?"  Stephen Covey was wise when he talked about efficiency vs effectiveness and it's not how well or how quickly you can climb a ladder...but rather asking "is the ladder leaning up against the right building?"  As we break, consider the goals in your Zig Buckets and think about putting pen to paper with a framework that works for your family to "unstuck" you so that you can take next steps on meaningful progress.  

With you in the arena, from ours to yours...Happy Trails!

Call to Action: 

• Pick out a framework and practice writing out a few goals.  See which one fits best with your family and write out three goals that are meaningful and that you can commit to in the coming week.  
• 1 - ___________________ 
• 2 - ___________________
• 3 - ___________________
• Discussion: Consider what you/your family could/would/should (level of commitment) and start/stop/sustain (action) in terms of goal writing, progress, evaluation, and revision.  

Further Reading, Motivation, and References:

- CLEAR goals 

- Forbes Resolutions 

Goals - Evaluation and Revision

Goals - Evaluation and Revision

When we look at goals, it's important to do some periodic check-ins for evaluation

Get a 
boost.

and, correspondingly, revision.  Chances of us either getting every single thing right, the first try out of the gate...or moving down the runway with nothing changing in the environment are exceedingly low.  For example, you may have set a goal to get out into nature more often with corresponding milestones of miles hiked, new trails explored, nights in a tent, and so forth.  Then, partway through that period of time or season of life, say you switched jobs, or moved to the city, or something else.  It's important to go back and evaluate and revise the goal periodically instead of abandoning it outright.  Perhaps now it looks like walking around the neighborhood streets, park hopping with the kids, trying out the new splash park or state park, or backyard camping.  

Ask why you 
missed.

In the first responder disciplines and military, there's a routinized process of After Action Review - Improvement Plan (AAR-IP) that helps guide continuous improvement.  At some level, it starts with the "hotwash" or "tailboard" session where those immediately involved reflect on what was supposed to happen, what did happen, and what we'd do differently next time.  It often is aimed at the "tactical level" of a thing...but could be directed more strategically.  Over time, the "IP" part of the process generates a bit of trend analysis and corresponding corrective actions so that we hopefully don't make the same mistakes twice.  In doing an intentional conversation, we can determine if our goals are still the right ones...and if we're still on track...or if we should change course, investment, or move on.  Through practice, we can use the same principle with our family.  After a vacation...do an AAR.  After a season of life (say, pre-school years), do an AAR on what we learned that can inspire more or better with early elementary.  Wrapping up a job...what can we take to the new one?  Selling a house...what did we learn to make the next home buying/renting experience smoother?  

Bring a posse.

Sometimes, we'd have to cut our losses and say enough is enough.  The old saying, "don't throw good money after bad," is not wrong.  At some point, despite our best efforts or at least a solid try, we realize the goal is wrong or unattainable.  In some cases, even if it's unattainable, meaningful action in the right direction is still the right answer.  Other times, it's time to fold it up and pack it in.  We had a brief run at a training company focused on personal survival.  In the initial months, we'd come up with a logo, website, a few training classes, and so forth.  As we got close to the "go-live" moment, I think we both realized the reality would be that we'd be spending our weekends with other people...not necessarily our loved ones.  Sure, we'd be doing cool things, learning neat stuff, helping others...but ultimately, missing the forest for the trees.  That project is now shelved...maybe for this season of life...maybe forever.  And that's okay.  

Work together.

Another way to look at the evaluation and revision is to try to make your goal progress more objective.  We can write our own rubric with corresponding numeric or grade criteria like an A-B-C-D-F that allows us to define what good, better, best looks like...and more importantly, rank ourselves and our progress.  The old "A for effort" can apply here as we give ourselves a score for both the effort/investment and the actual results.  This is an important step that allows us to better direct future efforts if we're not where we want to be.  

Ask why...5 times.

We've talked a bit about the 5 Whys of Root Cause analysis in the past, but it's important to solve the right problem if we're trying to move the needle.  When we work on goals and our periodic revision, it's important to look carefully at the "why" and perhaps the deeper level "whys" as to the root causes leading us to miss.  By digging a little deeper, we can apply the right solutions to the right problems - perhaps it was the wrong goal in the first place?  Perhaps we need more time?  Money?  Investment?  Less of something else?  Perhaps we need to rewrite or extend the timeframe?  The point is...without introspection and evaluation, we can end up "throwing good money after bad" (but substitute money for time, energy, resources, investment, etc).  

Look back at the early days,
the progress will amaze you.

Lastly, when we're setting goals...or evaluating them, considering and defining "what is a win" is an important step.  The minimum viable product (MVP), initial operating capability (IOC) are important considerations when it comes to a goal.  We may be able to prototype or beta test some scaled version of the thing we're after.  If we're happy with the results and trajectory, we can add additional time, energy, and investment to "big size it" as we move forward.  Take a small business for example, let's say we want to flip a house...perhaps we start with volunteering for Habitat for Humanity, building a shed or tree house in your backyard, or helping a friend finish their basement.  If we decide that we're heading in the right direction, we can then do our flip business...without some of the potential gravity of a big consequence looming over our head.  

The team matters most.

As we wrap up, the beginning of a goal is critical...so is the middle and the end.  When you're setting out with your goal process and eventual systems, make sure that you have periodic check-ins with yourself and your loved ones to make sure that the progress and the results you're achieving are worth what you're having to put into it.  No use getting to the top of the ladder only to realize too late it was leaning on the building...or perhaps worse yet, get halfway up the ladder and just sit there forever.  

With you in the arena, from ours to yours...Happy Trails!

Call to Action: 

• Pick out a couple of goals you've been working on that have stagnated or stalled out...now list three deep whys to get to the root cause of what caused you to stumble.  
• 1 - ___________________ 
• 2 - ___________________
• 3 - ___________________
• Discussion: Consider what you/your family could/would/should (level of commitment) and start/stop/sustain (action) to help each other be more successful with goals moving forward.  

Further Reading, Motivation, and References:

- AAR-IP Process from FEMA

Goal Tiers & Hierarchy

Goal Tiers & Hierarchy

The team is key.

As it were, not all goals are created equal.  We can have goals that vary in terms of commitment, level of resources, length of time, and so forth.  As we continue our series on goals, consider thinking about a wedding cake or pyramid shape for your goals.  Which ones empower and enable others?  Which ones nest within or spin off others down the road?  As we start defining the different tiers or hierarchies, hopefully, you will see some parallels in the principles that apply to your own situation and life.  

Use the path only where it
makes sense.

At some level, perhaps the foundational level of goal setting is the aspirational, "mission, vision, values" statements that we see in corporate agencies...but also have a place at home.  At some level, the "who we want to be," "what we do," and "how we do it" are goal-like in their ability to shape and organize our actions.  Generally, this sort of strategic statement helps us unify as a team and speak to the long-term vision, not necessarily a season of life or a sprint session, although you could set, say, a mission statement for your parenting efforts.  The Jim Collins Built to Last book introduced the BHAG or Big, Hairy, Audacious Goal framework that tells us we should have some of the just-out-of-reach stretch goals.  Our mission shouldn't be, as a family, "have a pulse," or "survive until the kids are out of school."  We should dare to endeavor greatly...what could your family look like if we're using the BHAG framework?  Dream and think BIG!

Find a long-range vantage
point.

Coming out of our mission/vision/values, we often see the breakdown into the next level of "big rocks" being a strategic plan.  These tend to be "goal-like" statements that cast a vision for unifying efforts across a 3-5 year period or season.  They tend to stay out of the weeds level details and focus on the end zone or season-end targets.  For a family, some of those temporal landmarks or easily divisible seasons might include high school, college age, first job, dating/engagement, newly married, infant children, pre-K, elementary school, junior high...and the cycle repeats while you head off to retirement, nursing home age, legacy.  Our strategic plan may tackle a period of time that helps us see the horizon and what's at the edge.  For high school students, it may include things like extracurriculars, hobbies, lifestyle habits, building block skills, and so forth that set the stage for the next chapter of life to go more smoothly.  

Bring the team dog.

As we bump along, getting more granular, we can start with the specific objectives, strategies, and tactics that move us from big rocks to smaller gravel in life.  As we get increasingly small (think sand), we begin to flush out things like to-do lists, tasks, calendars, meetings, schedules, budgets, and so forth.  Each one of those is, at some level, a goal.  Assigning dollars in a budget is moving us closer to...or further away...from our desired end states and stated goals.  With many of our resources, there is a very real opportunity cost (a dollar or hour spent here cannot be spent there).  Tying our most finite efforts back to our most lofty ideals helps ensure continuity and avoid wasted effort.  

See above the trees and 
noise.

Keep in mind that some of our goals should be short-term, mid-term, or long-term focused.  The blend is necessary to make progress without getting overwhelmed, but also to help keep the train on the tracks for the whole journey and not get distracted down "rabbit trails" incessantly.  When you think about some of the goals that could and should transcend seasons of life, like marriage or parenting goals, it's important to write (and edit) them in a way that allows action throughout the seasons.  For example, we should have an overarching parenting goal that shapes and guides our daily and seasonal interactions.  We should also have some smaller "milestone" type goals that allow us to do the right actions right now, along the way.  Periodically, it's important to ensure that we're still on the right glideslope to land the proverbial plane on time, at the right airport...that staying the course comes from the blend of short, mid, and long-term goal planning.  

Ride the sled
when you need.

Lastly, it's also important to say it...the goals have to be right-sized or in the right life bucket priority in your family.  For example, the goal of "Become the youngest CEO" might be great and all...but the unspoken commitment cost or sacrifice for many is "...by working a ton of hours and losing my family."  As you set out the big and small goals in your life, it must be a transparent and shared experience with your loved ones.  We have a family friend right now who is talking about moving across the country for the next three years for a job... even though his wife and kids are firmly entrenched here and want no part of it.  Sometimes we have to do what we have to do...but more often we should rewind up our goal hierarchy to see why we're contemplating it...and how else we could get the same outcome in a better way.

Ride the momentum
down the hill when 
you can.

As we wrap this week, hopefully, you've got a few ideas to guide some next steps, help you rethink the "how" in goal setting, and move you and yours closer to the big, beautiful, best life possible.  Remember, thinking through goals is a continuous improvement process and should be relative to the opportunity cost/sacrifice necessary, as well as spread across the different buckets of your life, to keep an appropriate balance.  Best of luck as you think through what "right looks like" for you and your family...and use the new wisdom to make traction.  

With you in the arena, from ours to yours...Happy Trails!

Call to Action: 

• Pick out one part of your life that you're going to write a strategic/longer-term goal for, and then break it down with a few milestones.  As you do this more, it'll become second nature with practice.  
• 1 - ___________________ 
• 2 - ___________________
• 3 - ___________________
• Discussion: Consider what you/your family could/would/should (level of commitment) and start/stop/sustain (action) in terms of family meetings to talk through this and work on it.  

Further Reading, Motivation, and References:

- BHAG from Investopedia

Margin Matters

Margin Matters

Friends can help with
margin.

Margin matters...in all walks of life.  We talk about this in our first responder world and in our family world.  The more "margin" we have, no matter the lane or commodity, the better.  For example, most all of us want "more" time, resources, money, memories, and such in our lives.  By using our schedule, budget, and other skills/systems/tools, we can build a longer runway that helps us safely take off or land the proverbial plane in each lane of our lives.  The good news is that as we get good at building systems that create and infuse margin into our lives...those skillsets can translate into other parts of our lives.  Generally, if you're a good prioritizer/scheduler at work...chances are...you'll do good a that at home and vice versa.  

Models can help 
identify margin.

Injecting margin, proactively and intentionally, certainly has the potential to lead to a less dramatic or "exciting" life, but comes with the upside of massively reducing our chance of ending up in a fireball at the end of the runway.  The margin that comes through processes, systems, and checklists helps us to free up resources of time, energy, and money to invest back into things that bring us joy.  At first it may seem like the discipline necessary to make margin sucks the fun out of life...in reality, you'd have spent that same 24 hours no matter what...might as well spend it on things that you value.  

Lifejackets
bring margin.

Like everything else in life, we're likely more successful if we utilize tools and/or systems to help us build margin.  Perhaps the biggest tool in that particular toolbox is the ability to say "no."  Most often in our lives, we're overcome or stressed not by what we said "no" to, but rather what we said "yes" to.  This can apply to our work lives, home lives, church lives, volunteer lives...or whatever other lives you live.  Chances are that agreeing to one more "too good thing" we end up with one more too many.  Sometimes, inadvertently, we can, with good intentions, sink our proverbial ship by overburdening it with too much of a load.  

So do seatbelts.

As we look at other tools, perhaps the next biggest one is getting good at calendars.  The "too much of a good thing is still too much" principle applies perhaps more to time since it is such a finite, precious resource compared to other areas of life.  Strategically, being selective with our calendar helps us ensure that we have the right things on our plate (think Stephen Covey's ladder leaning on the right building).  Tactically, we can make our calendars more efficient by planning in more pre/post-times around activities.  For example, blocking out "packing" time before Sunday church and perhaps downtime after helps ensure that we show up on time, can enjoy it fully, and can reflect on it afterwards.  

"Measuring" 
before you leap.

In the lifestyle part of life, we can inject margin into our lives through things like shopping ahead, making lunches the night (or weekend) before, doing bulk freezer meals, or similar activities.  These margin-making decisions allow the rest of the day/week/month to go more smoothly.  Similarly, when it comes to finances, having a budget in place, creating (and maintaining) an emergency fund, adequate insurance, and saving up for bigger purchases with sinking funds are key items.  The idea of using margin is a practiced art that we get better at over time.  

Harnesses give
margin.

When it comes to marriage and kids, margin matters maybe more than in most areas of life.  There will be seasons of life where you end up sprinting in one area to the detriment of other areas.  By "stocking up" and investing in the "love tanks" of your family, you build up margin that you may need to draw on when you have to miss the ball game or dance recital.  This doesn't work forever...you've got to have balance but during the sprint seasons, the margin you built up can be drawn upon.  Think of this similar to a traditional farming harvest when you have seasons for planting and seasons of harvesting...surplus in the fall that you bank up and use throughout the rest of the year.  

A dog probably
helps too.

A couple of other thoughts on margin include the old Fight Club "what you own ends up owning you," is true.  With most things you purchase in lif,e there is not only the opportunity cost but also the ongoing maintenance cost.  Take the vacation cabin for example, a certain number of weekends are spent just keeping it up, reducing the margin that you'd otherwise have to invest some time into the recreational activities your family enjoys...likely the reason you bought the cabin in the first place.  Be careful as you buy stuff that you don't end up accidentally sucking all the margin out of life by missing the forest for the trees.  

Learning is part
of margin.

As we wrap up, we'll talk about one more angle of margin before we go.  There is a saying in the first responder disciplines, "time is life," and it's aimed at buying time in emergency situations.  In our family life, the margin that comes with leaving early when you're travelling.  The lack of having to "speed" may be the difference between life and death in car crashes.  On the macro level, the lack of margin over the years may be more likely to result in heart attacks, strokes, and other ugly diseases.  

As always, hopefully, this post helps get your creative juices flowing and conversations moving you to action in your homes and lives.  Best of luck...build margin...and maintain it.  

With you in the arena, from ours to yours...Happy Trails!

Call to Action: 

• Pick out a couple of pieces of life where you feel swamped...now map out three things you can do this week to build more margin.  
• 1 - ___________________ 
• 2 - ___________________
• 3 - ___________________
• Discussion: Consider what you/your family could/would/should (level of commitment) and start/stop/sustain (action) in terms of activities that will help you get...and keep margin in life.  

Further Reading, Motivation, and References:

- Joe Sangl - Oxen book

- Jocko Willink - Discipline Equals Freedom