For some people, advancement goals feel intimidating.
For some people, advancement goals seem punitive.
For some people, advancement goals create unfair evaluations.
For some people, advancement goals produce anxiety.
And, so, some people push back consistently on setting goals for themselves or their teams.
But, for others, establishing advancement goals provides an opportunity to narrate the importance of the work they are choosing to do and to define success themselves.
Other important folks who are interested in our work and outcomes – such as Board members and other volunteer leaders, supervisors, and other executives within our institution – may not fully understand what success should look like for our team and program. They may have unrealistic expectations or they may simply not know.
Why, then, would we want them defining our success? Why would we shy away from providing that definition and explaining what appropriate goals should look like for us and our teams?
The most capable advancement professionals set and own their goals so they can both define what success looks like for their institution and shape the story of their own achievements.
When we lean away from thoughtful goal-setting, we risk allowing others to set thoughtless goals for us.
