Thinking S.M.A.R.T., timely

NOTE: The S.M.A.R.T. series is best read from the first post. Start with Get SMART - Look Yourself In The i - and read from there

Timely

Effective goal setting is conducted and expected to be completed within a specific time frame i.e. "How long will you give yourself to achieve this goal?" While research has shown that a definable, pre-determined time frame is necessary for effective goal achievement , from an Intrinsic Coaching® perspective there are really two time frames

• What is important to you RIGHT NOW (Timeframe #1)
• When will you commit to achieving that goal? (Timeframe #2)

An Intrinsic Coaching® approach to Time takes the goal setting process to a whole new level of involvement. Anchoring the goal commitment to a time frame allows the coach to ask something far more meaningful and far reaching than just "How's it going?" A coaching approach to Time provides a valuable context for learning ...

You didn't make the goal in the time frame? What did you learn? What will you do differently?

You did make the goal in the time frame? What did you learn? What will you do differently?

Applying a coaching approach to Time frames can also be an important part of Accountability (another 'A' that could perhaps have been included in this acronym - SMAART?) . For example by asking "How do you want to be accountable for the actions you have committed to over this period? or "How do you want to keep track of your progress?" In this way the Time aspect enables the goal setter to take ownership of the goal he/she has set. Any number of options could be appropriate for this - email, phone call, etc. Research has shown that when goal setters take ownership of the goals they set, such goals are far more likely to be achieved. The important thing here is that whatever the goal setter commits to will continue to elicit the all important 'i' response. This circles right back to where we started this whole series.