The Leader’s Guide to Making Your Team’s Goals a Reality

Team goals can be motivational, provide insight into how your processes perform, foster collaboration and innovation, and ensure that everyone’s work matters in the big picture.

Companies’ complex challenges in an uncertain, fast-changing world have taught them that teamwork is the best way to succeed. However, teamwork alone isn’t enough. In addition to teamwork, self-organization, and diversity within a team are crucial keys to dealing with complexity and uncertainty. Furthermore, setting the right team goals is fundamental to supporting self-organization and aligning the team’s work with company goals and vision. Additionally, the modern leader is responsible for creating an environment where goals are motivating and inspiring and for fostering growth and engagement within the team.

More Goals…Really?

Most companies already have annual goals; some break them down into quarterly goals. Many set yearly goals for employees, as well. Whether we need more plans, like team goals, seems justified. But setting team goals isn’t about adding more destinations. It’s about making the big company goals meaningful and actionable for teams and individuals. In 2019, a Gartner survey found that only %47 of employees believed they understood the broader goals of their organization and how their daily work contributed to organizational success. Team goals help bridge the massive gap between company and individual goals. They clarify the team’s contribution and importance to the company goals, fostering motivation and a sense of inclusion.

But Who’s the Leader?

The answer to this question is easy: it depends on the organizational structure, hierarchy, and the team’s design and experience. In many cases, the leader will be the manager or the team lead, but they can also be a team member who feels goals are essential to the team’s success. A team needs strong leadership to realize the full benefits of team goals.