Goals: Set ‘Em in One Direction But Achieve ‘Em in Reverse
I’ve got goals on my mind, and it’s not because of the New Year.
Alongside four other coaches, I recently started coaching a boys high school swim team.
We kicked off last Monday and managed to cobble together a wonky week with Thanksgiving.
Week 2 started yesterday, and I was in charge of leading the team through a goal-setting process.
What’s Possible?
This was our start.
“What’s possible for the team this year?”
It didn’t take long before one of the sophomores shouted out, “everyone on this team PRs in at least one event this year.”
“Oh, I like that!” said another team member.
“Ohhs” and “ahhs” followed.
“Wow! Do we all agree on this?” I asked.
“I don’t know about that” said a junior as he held up his broken hand.
One of the team captains thought otherwise. “Yes you can! You’re such a positive teammate to all of us — we will return that to you and we’ll get you there.”
“What’s it like to hear that from a team captain?” I asked.
“It feels great — he sees, and believes, something I don’t.”
I pressed again, “So, do we all agree on this goal? Raise your hand if you do.”
Everyone raised their hands.
“Great! What else is possible for the team this year?”
After some necessary discussion and debate, the team landed on three collective goals.
The energy in the room was high.
It’s fun to dream.
Who Do We Need to Be?
And it’s my job — and the other coaches job — to focus that dream.
“So, what’s it going to take to achieve this?” I asked, pointing to the goals they had come up with. “Who do we need to be?”
You could feel the heaviness in the room.
Things got serious.
And then this is where we spent the majority of the time — because this is where they’re going to have to spend the majority of the time.
In the process.
The boys came up with a great list — and some didn’t fully like what they were seeing on the list.
Because the process is what’s hard.
The process is what requires discipline.
The process demands habits and systems — some of which may be a big change from the current status quo.
What Does It Mean to Be a __________?
It’s interesting how doing things like this with a team almost automatically defines the norms and culture of a team.
We spent a little time defining expectations of each other, team captains, and the coaches.
We also spent a little time talking about what accountability looks like.
And then I asked, “so is this what it means to be a [insert team name] swimmer?”
“Yes!” said a few.
“This is who we are!” called out one of the swimmers.
The process part of goals is so fascinating to me.
It not only shapes who we are — individually and collectively — but it also increases our likelihood of achieving our goals.
The process is what we can control.
The outcomes — we don’t control those.
But, we can increase the likelihood of achieving those outcome-based goals when we fully immerse ourselves in the process.
A quick take-away:
Whether your an individual working on goals or a leader working to orient a team around a collective goal:
Set goals by first defining the desired outcomes and then define the process necessary
Attain goals in reverse, though: prioritize, focus in on, and dedicate yourself and others to the process.
Onward.