Happy New Year!
When I was a Customer Success leader early in my career, I vividly remember the day I received my annual goals from the executive team. At the time, I thought I was ready to tackle them. “We’ve got this,” I confidently told myself.
But as the months passed, I realized I was far from prepared.
Here’s what went wrong:
I didn’t really socialize the goals with my team.
Sure, I mentioned them in a kickoff meeting, but after that, they sat buried in a slide deck no one looked at again.
We didn’t have a centralized way to track progress or visualize how we were doing. Worse, when we started slipping behind, it felt like we were scrambling to course-correct, without a clear understanding of what to prioritize.
The result? We hit some of our targets by sheer grit, but it was chaotic and exhausting. Team morale took a hit, and I felt like I was always one step behind.
But there is a better way. After reflecting on that experience (and making more mistakes along the way), I learned a few key lessons that transformed how I approach goal management:
Lesson 1: Socialize Goals Early and Often
Goals should never be treated as a “set it and forget it” exercise. I learned the hard way that my team needed to not only understand the goals but also feel connected to them.
Now, I make goal-setting a collaborative process. I involve the team in brainstorming how to achieve them and tie individual contributions to the bigger picture.
Pro Tip: Regularly revisit goals in team meetings and 1:1s. This keeps them front and center and ensures they remain relevant as priorities shift.
Lesson 2: Centralize Goal Tracking
In my earlier role, I had no clear system to track progress. Metrics were scattered across spreadsheets and tools, making it nearly impossible to see where we stood at any given time.
Now, I always centralize goal tracking, using dashboards or tools like Asana, ClientSuccess, or SFDC.
Pro Tip: Make your tracking system accessible to the entire team so everyone can see where things stand and stay accountable.
Lesson 3: Prioritize Proactively, Not Reactively
When we started slipping on certain goals, I’d panic and throw resources at the problem, often at the expense of other priorities. It was a reactive, short-term fix that caused long-term damage.
Now, I focus on regular check-ins to identify red flags early and adjust priorities before it’s too late.
Pro Tip: Use quarterly or monthly reviews to recalibrate and ensure your team’s focus stays aligned with top priorities.
Today, I approach goal management with the structure and intentionality I wish I had back then.
Socializing goals, tracking progress, and proactively prioritizing work aren’t just best practices—they’re essential for building a high-performing, motivated team.
If you’ve struggled with this like I did, remember: there’s always a way to course-correct.
Share your goals, keep them visible, and stay ahead of potential roadblocks. Your team (and your sanity) will thank you.
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