Building an Innovative Learning Organization

Chapter 4Setting Learning Goals

Sarder Framework: Building the Learning Organization

The organization that makes it a priority to develop quality, effective goals will succeed in its performance management, in its business…and in developing its employees' skills and confidence.…Goal setting, given high priority and approached consistently throughout the organization, is the mechanism by which the business delivers results.¹

—Oracle white paper

In essence, a goal is a written statement that describes where we are headed, what we will do to get there, and the situation that will exist when we've arrived. In life and at work, goals keep us focused on what's important and keep us from wasting our valuable time doing things that will not help us get where we want to be. We've all set out to achieve personal goals at one time or another: to become proficient at a musical instrument, to play tennis or golf, to prepare for a marathon, to lose weight or stop smoking, or to transition to a better job. Goals are the mechanisms by which our intentions become reality.

An organization uses strategic goals to focus energy and resources on achieving its mission. Strategic goals describe specific actions the organization will take to succeed, such as increase sales, launch new products, become more profitable, or enter new markets—or become a learning organization. Well-functioning teams use ...