Small Steps Can Put Work Goals Within Reach

Setting work goals is easy. Accomplishing them is another matter. If you want

your resolutions to stick, you need to:

Commit publicly: Write down your goals, and share them with your manager,

peers, direct reports, friends, and family.

Create a plan of action: Think step-by-step tactics. If your goal is, for

example, to develop a more trusting relationship with your direct reports, take

them to lunch individually and start engaging with them on a more personal

level.

Recruit support: Colleagues, mentors, your significant other, or a professional

coach can be both your cheering squad and sounding board.

Set milestones: As time goes by, it becomes more difficult to stay motivated.

You need regular signals that reinforce what you re working toward, such as a

reminder on your phone or a recurring meeting on your calendar for thinking

about what your goals mean to you and your career.