Read the attached document on Goals and objectives. After doing so, you will need to list three immediate short term life goals and their corresponding objectives. Then, you will need to list three long term life goals and their corresponding objectives. Please be as specific and detailed as you can be on your response.

Meeting Planning: Understanding your Clients Goals and Objectives

Youve been assigned as the project manager for a clients conference, meeting, or special event. What is the first thing you need to determine? Is it the budget? The facility? The presenters? If you said none of the above, give yourself a gold star.

When producing an event (a conference, meeting, etc.), the most important element in your initial client interaction is to confirm (or determine if not apparent) your clients goals and objectives. Establishing your clients goals and objectives, and more importantly maintaining your clients message throughout the planning and execution of the project, will allow you as the manager to increase the chances of achieving the desired outcome for your client. Just as important, the consistency in the message allows your attendees to thoroughly enjoy the experience, thus enhancing the learning or social element of the event and increasing your Return on Investment (ROI). In my meeting planning, my intentions are to always have my attendees take away something that they didnt know before they arrived, and that is best achieved by properly defining the goals and objectives of the event.

Goals versus Objectives

Sometimes goals and objectives are used interchangeably, which is incorrect. When thinking of goals and objectives, imagine going on a trip. The goal is where you want to be. The objectives are the steps needed to get you there.

Goals are broad, abstract, and general. Imagine them as the basic pie in the sky mission you are hoping to attain. A goal could simply be to inform, celebrate, or persuade.

Conversely, an objective goes into greater detail on how the goal is to be achieved. An objective is measurable (i.e., the number of attendees, amount of breakouts, number and type of presenters, etc.); narrow (e.g., cultural tourism in the southwest United States); and tangible (e.g., unveiling of a social media platform that allows users to retain copious amounts of data while being available to communicate immediately).

The best objectives have several characteristics in common:

They are specific. That is, the objectives tell how much (e.g., 40 percent) of what is to be achieved (e.g., what behavior of whom or what outcome) and by when (e.g., by 2010).

They are measurable. Information about the objective can be collected, detected, or obtained from records (at least potentially).

They are achievable. Not only are the objectives themselves possible, it is also likely that your organization will be able to pull them off.

They are relevant to the mission. Your organization has a clear understanding of how these objectives fit the overall vision and mission of the group.

They are timed. Your organization has developed a time line (a portion of which is made clear in the objectives) by which the objectives will be achieved.

They are challenging. The objectives stretch the group to set its aim on significant improvements that are important to its members.

When developing your objectives, be sure to be clear, in-depth, and focused. Avoid phrasing your objectives in questions or using figurative or general language and multiple ideas.

Once your goal and objectives are identified and agreed to, keep them in mind as you think and plan for the event. The speakers, facility, topics, audio visual aids, and even after-hours activities should maintain the message contained in your goals and objectives. If your goal is to innovate, with the objective being to allow software designers the opportunity to present their products to possible vendors and venture capitalists, you do not want to have a facility that does not have Wi-Fi capability, nor would you want to roll out overhead projectors and transparencies as your audio visual aid. The gap in your delivery, in relation to your goals and objectives, will definitely be felt by your attendees. Instead of sharing knowledge and making valuable connections, they will be whispering to each other about the lack of consistency youve displayed; your mixed messages; and your failure to achieve consistent goal and objective integrity, which affects the vibe of the entire event.

As with all events, developing goals and objectives is the hardest part. Top to bottom buy-in is required. The foundation of your eventyour sponsors, creators, and/or producers, all need to agree on the mission and what processes will be used to achieve it before it can be sold to potential attendees. Once your goals and objectives are determined, expect an event that is consistent in its messaging and execution to offer your attendees an easy path toward fulfilling your ROI.

Michael McNutt, CMP

Senior Project Manager

Michael has worked in the management field for over 15 years; notably as an events, meeting, and conference manager for several consulting and training firms in the Metropolitan D.C. area.

Goals - Goals are general statements of what you want to achieve. Examples of company goals are:

To improve profitability

To increase efficiency

To capture a bigger market share

To provide better customer service

To improve employee training

To reduce carbon emissions

Examples:

1) Goal: Build a better network of colleagues.

Objectives: Exchange at least three business cards at each meeting. Make use of social networking platforms like LinkedIn. Follow up via email after meeting someone new.

2) Goal: Spend more time together.

Objectives: Plan two Family Days each month. Sit down to dinner together (without cell phones!) at least five times per week. Switch off the TV and Computer every night at 7 pm, to allow more time for conversation.