Most teams don’t miss goals. They miss alignment.
Here’s the simple framework I use with leaders at Better You Coaching to get teams rowing in the same direction:
1) Start with outcomes, not tasks. Pick three business results that matter this quarter and write them in plain English that your newest hire can understand. State what you want to achieve, not what to avoid.
2) Co-create the measures. Ask your team, “How will we measure success and know that we’re winning?” Agree on two leading indicators and one lagging result for each outcome. Make sure these are appropriate and achievable.
An example of a leading indicator in a customer success organization is completing onboarding. A lagging indicator is customer retention.
Teams can understand their individual goals and still work at cross-purposes. Aligning on priorities and measures creates a shared understanding of what success looks like and how everyone contributes to it. This co-creation process starts everyone with the same understanding.
3) Target and stretch. Set a target and stretch measure for each goal. The target defines success the stretch represents exceptional performance. Celebrate achieving the target, and recognize the extra effort and results when the team reaches the stretch.
4) Assign clear ownership. One person owns each outcome. Everyone contributes; one person is accountable.
5) Build a 30/60/90 plan. Map first steps, key interlocks, and decision dates. Use a simple R/Y/G (red/yellow/green) status so risks surface early, not at the finish line.
Of course, some goals take longer than 90 days to accomplish. However, having a view of progress and success in 90 days is critical to assessing the achievability of the objective.
6) Normalize resets and retros. If the context changes, update the goal. End the quarter with a 45‑minute retrospective session using a keep/stop/start framework. Everyone contributes to the discussion and the focus is on learning and adjusting, not on blaming.
Pro tip: Schedule your weekly check-in for 15 minutes, “standing,” and data-first. Discussion follows the numbers, not the other way around. Deeper discussions can move offline with the right people, leaving the check-in focused on exceptions, decisions and commitments.
Alignment doesn’t happen because everyone heard the same message. It happens when everyone understands the outcomes, knows how success is measured, and takes ownership of moving the team forward.
If you need a one-page Goal Map template I use with clients, message me.
Want help putting your Q4 goals to the test? DM me on LinkedIn or visit betteryoucoaching.com for a short consult.
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