Setting Goals

The Lesson – Goal Setting

This week’s quote is inspired by legendary college football coach Lou Holtz:

“All winning teams are goal-oriented. Teams like these win consistently because everyone connected with them concentrates on specific objectives. They go about their business with blinders on; nothing will distract them from achieving their aims.”

Holtz was passionate about teamwork and goal setting. When he took over the reins of the Notre Dame program in 1986 he had the names removed from the players’ jerseys to emphasize teamwork. Although the team ended the season with a 5-6 record that year, they went 8-4 the following year, and in 1988 the team went undefeated and ended the season with a Fiesta Bowl victory, thereby claiming the NCAA Division I National Championship. When it was all said and done, Holtz ended his 11 year Notre Dame career with a 100 wins and 30 losses, including five bowl championships.

For additional insight I encourage you to invest three minutes of your time watching Holtz discuss the importance of goal setting:

The Challenge

The challenge this week is to work together as a team to identify one specific goal (preferably a stretch goal) to focus on in the month of August.

Here are some ideas:

• Perfect attendance.
• Score 100% for quality assurance monitoring.
• Set a new record for wrap time.
• Recover more money than any other month so far this year.
• End the month with zero customer complaints.

You’re going to need a positive attitude, put forth sincere commitment, and sharpen your focus to accomplish your mission, but don’t forget Holtz also reminds you that “No one has ever drowned in sweat.”

The Reflection

1. What did you learn about your teammates this week as you worked together to set your team goal?
2. How can your team continue to benefit from setting team goals in the future?
3. Was your team able to proactively identify potential roadblocks and devise work-arounds?
4. What positive changes could your team make going forward in order to maximize the benefit of this challenge?
5. How would continual practice of this challenge change your team?

Ready, sweat, goal!

Gary Jensen
Editor | collector mentor