Today’s volatile environment continues to evolve, and while things continue to return to a new normal, there is much skepticism of the unknown future. In such explosive environments, the organization and the employees look for leaders to charter the course to focus and rely on leaders to define the path for them. But many individuals and leaders fail to charter practical goals for the organization and individuals. 

 Leadership is about setting goals for organizations, teams, or individuals. Leadership is not just about getting people to do something; it’s also about helping them believe in their abilities and taking the initiative. Leadership involves motivating others to take action, which requires setting clear goals that are realistic and achievable. Leadership also means providing direction when there are no rules or precedents available—and then figuring out how to make things happen when you don’t have all the resources you need. Leadership skills can help any leader navigate an increasingly volatile environment by giving them the tools they need to act decisively in times of uncertainty. 

Leadership’s critical competency is about goal setting.

One of the most critical aspects of leadership is setting goals. When leaders set clear goals, it gives their team a sense of direction and purpose. It also helps to motivate team members and keep them focused on what needs to be done. In a VUCA environment, leaders need to set clear and achievable goals and communicate those goals clearly and often. 

Leaders need to be inclusive, honest, and fair with their teams during goal setting. For example, if a team might not reach its goal, the leader should acknowledge possible and explain why (and how) that could happen. Leadership means leading others through difficult conversations with humility and honesty. Leadership also means motivating others to persevere even when things become challenging. This includes encouraging team members to find new ways of doing things and finding resources that might not have been considered before. Leadership requires leaders to be flexible and adaptable when necessary while also setting appropriate boundaries on the resources they commit. Leadership is about building up a team so everyone can succeed—and knowing when people aren’t meeting their goals or expectations is part of that. Leaders need to be compassionate and supportive with team members who are struggling and decisive enough to hold them accountable when they aren’t producing the desired results. 

Goal setting is essential for your business.

 Setting goals is an essential part of any business. When you set goals, you can focus on what you want to achieve and develop a plan to reach those goals. Without goals, it can be not easy to know where your business is headed or what you should be working on.

When you set specific and measurable goals, you can track your progress and make adjustments as necessary. This helps ensure that you are always moving in the right direction and that your efforts are producing results. Additionally, setting goals can help motivate your employees and keep them engaged in their work.

Goal setting is an essential tool for any business leader, and it should be a part of your regular planning process. Not sure where to start? You can set a specific goal or choose a broad target that you want to reach. It would help if you planned for the long-term and the short-term – there are different goals for each period – and break down your overall strategy into smaller steps. When setting goals, the critical focus should be on the output vs. input goals. Many leaders fail in defining goals, where the direction is mainly looking at operational goals, which are predominantly the means to achieve the results.  

Leadership starts with setting goals 

Leaders can help and manage the ever involving volatile environment.

Leadership skills can help leaders recognize, create, and seize opportunities that may not have existed previously. Leadership is about more than just getting things done; it’s also about helping others believe in their abilities. Leadership is motivating others to take action, which requires setting clear goals that are realistic and achievable. 

A practical framework for goal setting, which many successful business leaders and entrepreneurs have used successfully for years, is the five steps framework: 

1. Envision a desirable future state; 

2. Articulate this vision; 

3. Get the alignment of your team behind the vision; 

4. Identify critical steps (the strategy), and 

5. Plan for contingencies.

Each of the stages in the framework requires conviction and focus from the leader. While many leaders focus on the first stage, they need to ensure they are present and focus across definition, implementation, review and ensure that if there are learnings (failures), they are celebrated and communicated. 

Organizations without practical goals are directionless and are bound to fail in a volatile environment.