Different Types of Business Goals

Goals are goals, true – but when you’re in business it’s important to recognize that there are several different types of goals to keep track of. For the most part therea re three main types of goals:

1. Goals set at individual levels
2. Goals set for different areas
3. Goals set to meet time frame requirements

Goals that we set for individual levels of the organisation refer to a company’s mission statement and operational ideals. They govern the purpose of the organisation and involve setting both strategic goals (usually set by upper management), tactical goals (usually set by middle management), and operational goals (usually set by lower management).

Different areas of an organisation need goals as well. For example, the marketing department and manufacturing plants are definitely going to have a different set of goals. The same applies to finance departments, maintenance, and even support staff.

Time frame goals refer to short-term, intermediate, and long-term goals. You may want your processing plant to complete 1,000,000 widgets in two days (a short-term goal) or you may want to open 25 new stores over the course of 5 years (a long-term goal). Time-oriented goals can apply to any of the levels or areas of an organisation separately – or to everyone as a whole.

It’s important to recognize that you can’t simply set a goal and hold your breath waiting for it to be met. You have to set focused goals and make sure that the people who need to work towards meeting that goal are properly educated and advised. Use your decision making skills to decide who is best suited to complete a given task and then delegate the project. You’ll be pleased with the results you get from a focused group.

Thanks again,

Sean

Sean McPheat

Managing Director

MTD Training