Goal-Oriented Organization

By Mostafa Sayyadi and Michael J. Provitera

It is time to choose a goal that is not to be chosen lightly. Senior managers need to spend a great deal of time on goal setting. Low-hanging fruit is easy to pick. Senior managers around the world achieve their goals, not as written words but by taking words and making meaning of them by implementing them as part of their culture and strategy. Goal setting is based on both cultural and strategic aspects of your organization. [1] [2] [3] The true embodiment of purpose in your organization’s culture and strategy spans a wide range from maximizing market value to meeting a specific customer need. [4] [5] [6] [7] [8] Peter Drucker always kept the customer in mind. [9] We also would like to add all stakeholders to the goal-setting equation. This article helps senior executives more effectively achieve their goals and not replace their goals with new goals without closure.  

To become a goal-oriented organization, you, as a CEO, need to write down your mission. While missions must be ambitious, they also must be within reason. [10] [11] For example, Tesla’s mission statement expresses this well: “Create the most compelling car company of the 21st century while driving the world’s transition to electric vehicles.” While this goal is very ambitious and futuristic, it is also specific and related to the industry in which this electric car manufacturing giant operates.  The goal incorporates all the cultural and strategic aspects of this company to transform the views of the people of the world towards electric cars. An idea that may have been marginalized due to naysayers. Or, for example, Toyota presents its mission statement in this way: “Toyota will lead the future mobility society, enriching lives around the world with the safest and most responsible ways of moving people.” This goal is completely specific and related to the industry in which it operates, and at the same time, it shows that all cultural and strategic aspects of Toyota are in the service of its guiding star, which is the safety and health of customers.  

Now is the time to implement written goals. The most important component in the implementation of goals is commitment. And having commitment means including goals in all components of your strategy, from budgeting to operational risk management. Communication, continuous reporting, and sharing of ideas and stories are very important and vital in this process. [12] [13] [14] These goals should be also very flexible while looking into the future. Flexibility means planning for specific scenarios and major changes in market trends so that the company’s profits are not affected in any situation or a major change. Finally, have a clear framework for integrating goals into your culture. Organizational culture is the heartbeat of your company. In our experience, although this framework varies depending on the type of business and industry in which you operate, it’s required meaningful and frequent conversations among senior executives and the rest of the company so all members can understand “Why we are doing this?” 

In closing, having one big hairy audacious goal doesn’t mean the end of goal setting. Goal setting is an arduous and iterative process. Determining the goal is only the first step in a host of subsequent goals. It requires clearly formulating it, making a commitment to it, and including it in all cultural and strategic components. Build flexibility into the goal-setting process and feel good about going into the new. 

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About the Authors  

Mostafa-Sayyadi

Mostafa Sayyadi works with senior business leaders to effectively develop innovation in companies, and helps companies—from start-ups to the Fortune 100—succeed by improving the effectiveness of their leaders. 

Michael J Provitera

Michael J. Provitera is an Associate Professor at Barry University. He is an author of Level Up Leadership published by Business Expert Press. 

 

References 

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  8. Cooper, M.D. (2018). The Safety Culture Construct: Theory and Practice. In: Gilbert, C., Journé, B., Laroche, H., Bieder, C. (eds) Safety Cultures, Safety Models. SpringerBriefs in Applied Sciences and Technology. Springer, Cham. 
  9. Wartzman, R. (2013). Six Drucker Questions that Simplify a Complex Age. Harvard Business Review. https://hbr.org/2013/11/six-drucker-questions-that-simplify-a-complex-age 
  10. Cardona, P. & Rey, C. (2022). Missions-Driven Leadership. In: Management by Missions. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. 
  11. Elert, N. & Henrekson, M. (2022). Collaborative Innovation Blocs and Mission-Oriented Innovation Policy: An Ecosystem Perspective. In: Wennberg, K., Sandström, C. (eds) Questioning the Entrepreneurial State. International Studies in Entrepreneurship, vol 53. Springer, Cham. 
  12. Zarzycka, E., Dobroszek, J., Lepistö, L. et al. (2019). Coexistence of innovation and standardization: evidence from the lean environment of business process outsourcing. Journal of Management Control, 30, 251–286.  
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