Exercise $7-4$

Setting SMART Objectives

Assess the objectives in Exhibit $7\mathrm{.}1,$ then critique them. The purpose of the objective is described under the heading "Performance target." The person with whom the objective is being set is given in brackets. Review each of the objectives in Exhibit $7\mathrm{.}1$ against each of the SMART criteria, then make an entry in each box using the following key:

$x=$ objective does not conform to this criteria

$=$ objective conforms to this criteria

$?=$ difficult to tell if this conforms to this criteria

EXHIBIT $7\mathrm{.}1$ SMART Objectives

Source: Gary Platt, "SMART Objectives: What They Mean and How to Set Them," Training Joumal, August $2002,$ p$.24.$ p$.24.$

$\backslash$table$[[,,,,,],[,$SPECIFIC,MEASURABLE,ACHIEVABLE,RELEVANT,TIME$-$BASED$],[\backslash$table$[[$Performance target: to improve$],[$profitability $($department manager$).]],,,,,],[1.$ Objective: to reduce overtime costs.,,,,,$],[\backslash$table$[[$Performance target: to improve$],[$customer care $($receptionist$).]],,,,,],[\backslash$table$[[2.$ Objective: to ensure that $90$ percent of$],[$items received $($addressed to and for$],[$action by the receptionist$)$ are replied$],[$to on day of receipt.$]],,,,,],[\backslash$table$[[$Performance target: to improve$],[$leadership ability $($team leader$).]],,,,,],[\backslash$table$[[3.$ Objective: to supervise the team better$],[$by $25$ March $2014.]],,,,,],[\backslash$table$[[4.$ Objective: to have agreed, set, and$],[$recorded three performance targets$],[$with each member of staff by the end$],[$of June $2014.]],,,,,],[\backslash$table$[[$Performance target: to reduce overall$],[$running costs $($transport manager$).]],,,,,],[\backslash$table$[[5.$ Objective: to achieve a $500$ percent$],[$reduction over previous year on$],[$transport costs $($end of this week$).]],,,,,],[\backslash$table$[[6.$ Objective: to achieve a $5$ percent$],[$reduction over previous year on$],[$transport costs.$]],,,,,],[\backslash$table$[[7.$ Objective: to achieve a $5$ percent$],[$change over previous year on transport$],[$costs $($by $2$ March $2014).]],,,,,],[\backslash$table$[[$Performance target: to increase client$],[$base $($marketing executive$).]],,,,,],[\backslash$table$[[8.$ Objective: to generate $15$ new clients by$],[1$ June $2014]],,,,,],[9.$ Objective: to generate more clients.,,,,,$],[\backslash$table$[[$Performance target: to reduce waste and$],[$scrap output $($production manager$).]],,,,,],[\backslash$table$[[10.$ Objective: by year$-$end $(31$ December$],[2014)$ to have reduced waste output$],[$by a reasonable amount.$]],,,,,],[\backslash$table$[[11.$ Objective: to adopt a just$-$in$-$time$],[$strategy for the stores.$]],,,,,]]$