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2. Goals - Deciding What We Want

A goal is the meaningful results your team commits to deliver. A goal gives direction. Without one, effort scatters, and energy is wasted. A goal is simply a decision about what you want and why it matters.

Why goals matter:

  • Clarity: Define success before work begins
  • Focus: Avoid distractions by knowing what you are aiming to do
  • Alignment: Help teams pull in the same direction

How To Choose the Right Goals:

Setting the right goal is not as difficult as you may think:

  • Ask “Why?”: Why does the goal matter? If you cannot explain why, it is not a good goal
  • Keep it small: A goal must be clear enough to finish in weeks or months, not years If it is too broad, break it into sub-goals
  • Make success clear: Write one line that shows what “done” looks like. If you cannot measure it, the goal is not ready

If your goal still feels fuzzy, test it with SMART:

  • Specific: Say exactly what must be achieved
  • Measurable: Track progress as you move forward
  • Achievable: Stretch ambition but keep it realistic
  • Relevant: Link directly to the broader strategy
  • Time-bound: Fix a clear deadline

This turns a loose idea into a goal you can act on.

How to Prioritise Goals:

Once you have set clear goals, the next step is choosing which ones to act on first.

You cannot do everything. To make progress, identify what matters most. Then devote as much of your time as possible to that.

To decide what matters most, look for bottlenecks. Normally, your bottlenecks are your most important goals, because when you remove the one thing slowing you the most, everything else speeds up.

Bottleneck = the single thing that slows everything else down the most.

Once you fix one bottleneck, find the next. Over time, you will move faster and your results will multiply.

How to spot bottlenecks? It is easier than you think:

  • Sketch how your work flows: picture tasks moving like water down a river
  • Watch where tasks pile up and slow down: where does the water pool?
  • Ask “Why?”: sniff for the real hold-up until you find it. That reason is your bottleneck

Prioritisation is simple. Fix the biggest block first, then move to the next. This keeps effort focused and your results growing.

How to Break Goals into Sub-Goals?

Big goals can be hard to handle. The way forward is simple: break them into smaller sub-goals.

  • Start with a big goal: Set your overall Goal using the “Why?” method above
  • Break it into smaller sub-goals: Ask “What smaller wins will get me there?”
  • For each sub-goal, repeat the “Why?” method: Once you have a sub-goal, you can set it and make sure they are clear the same way as you do with normal goals
  • Put them in order: Decide what you will do first, next and last

Each sub-goal is a step. When you move in order, these steps align, deliver quick wins and move you closer to your main goal.

Once goals are broken down, the next challenge is execution.