- Does it count as truly successful if the initial goal is achieved, but the stretch goal is not?
- If the stretch goal is met, what further motivation is there to continue to give effort?
I’ve never quite understood the concept of stretch goals. From a leadership standpoint, I’ve witnessed first-hand how stretch goals create far more problems than they help.
Leaders are supposed to ensure fair, appropriate, and clear goals for those in their care. Having multiple goals introduces the potential for confusion regarding what truly constitutes success for the individual tasked with the work.
Leaders are supposed to create an environment within which others want to perform their best. Stretch goals communicate something else. They say, “even if you meet your goals, you really weren’t truly successful unless you meet an additional goal.”
Leaders should never put a ceiling on the productivity and impact of an individual or team. The message should be, “to best serve our mission, here is the goal. Let’s see how much more of an impact we can make by going beyond the goal.”
When a stretch goal is introduced, the focus shifts from impact and “how much more we can do,” to simply, “once you achieve the stretch goal, you have arrived successfully at the finish line.”
Goals are critical to have in place for everyone.
But good leaders know that more goals don’t equal better results. In fact, the opposite can be true.
