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Goals

	I have a new manager, and all he talks about is objectives. We have to come up with objectives, and it does not matter if they are vague or specific. He just wants us to be working toward something. I told him that my objective is to be more productive, and he said that I should commit to this in writing and then work to meet it. I'm trying to figure out if this is a real program or just an exercise. What do you think?
	In the broadest sense, your manager makes a good deal of sense. It is important for employees to have objectives, and there is clear evidence that objectives can have a positive impact on motivation, performance, and productivity. However, there is more to an objective than merely stating that you desire to be more productive. And further, committing to working extra hard is not going to make it a reality. The real issue is based on the difference between a goal and an objective. In today's parlance, a goal is a general statement regarding a desired outcome, while an objective is a clear, specific, challenging, and measurable outcome that you seek, and it is supported by an equally specific action plan to help you get there. The action plan includes the strategies you plan to use, resources you may need, performance measures, and benchmark dates. Your new manager is halfway there. His goal is to introduce an objectives program into the company, and now he needs to convert this goal into an objective.

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