This content may be of interest to you
Resources
Setting individual objectives is a well-known ritual for managers. Every year, teams get together to define their priorities, formalize their ambitions and then take action. But in many companies, this exercise turns into a formality. Objectives are too vague, disconnected from the field, or poorly linked to the team's common goals. As a result, they don't help achieve collective objectives, and can even demotivate.
Setting objectives isn't about filling in boxes, it's about creating a framework of meaning, clarity and progress. Discover 4 concrete tips from managers for transforming goal-setting into a real lever for performance and commitment.
Before talking about figures, indicators or deadlines, we need to give meaning. An objective only has value if it fits into a broader, shared vision.
Each employee must be able to answer a simple question: "Why this objective? And what does it contribute to?". A good individual objective must be linked to common objectives. For example, instead of "increase sales by 10%", we could write "contribute to the growth of the SME segment to support the company's BtoB strategy". The idea behind this is to make goal-setting an exercise in meaning and alignment.
Another interesting example: in an HR team, rather than "carry out 5 recruitments a month", we can define "reinforce the quality of recruitments to accelerate the skills development of field teams". This links the achievement of individual objectives to a collective ambition.
A good manager knows that objectives must not be set out of the ground. Targets set without consultation or knowledge of the actual context create frustration and disengagement. Involving employees in the discussion is essential:
This makes it possible to adjust or even modify objectives if the terrain changes, without losing sight of the collective course.
Effective target-setting requires simple, transparent and shared methods.
The SMART method remains a benchmark for structuring individual objectives. It makes it easier to manage day-to-day performance.
A SMART goal is :
An example: "Organize and run two in-house training courses by June to reinforce mastery of the new CRM". This SMART objective is concrete, measurable and time-based.
For more agile teams, the OKR (Objectives & Key Results) method involves employees in common objectives, and measures the achievement of objectives with quantifiable key results.
Setting objectives must be easy to understand. Too many objectives dilute attention and hinder achievement. Limiting the number of individual objectives to 3 to 5 per employee helps to keep things on track.
An example for a marketing manager:
These objectives are clear, linked to common goals and measurable over the reference period.
An imposed objective is not a commitment. Conversely, a co-constructed objective develops responsibility and gives meaning.
The objective-setting meeting should not be a mere administrative formality. It's a time for co-construction. The manager presents the collective priorities, then the employee suggests how to contribute to them.
For example: "Our team's challenge is to improve customer satisfaction. How do you want to contribute to this, and what indicators do you think are relevant to monitor its achievement?"
This approach fosters clarity and enables adjustments to be made if necessary: the possibility of modifying objectives during the period must be built in from the outset. If the realities on the ground change, the objectives must be able to change too.
Setting individual goals is about more than just numbers. Personal development goals reinforce motivation and long-term progress.
Some interesting examples:
These objectives help to achieve collective goals while supporting individual development.
Once objectives have been set, management doesn't stop there. The challenge is to support the achievement of these objectives, and to make adjustments along the way.
The reference period should be punctuated by monthly or quarterly milestones, depending on the context. These points enable us to measure progress, identify bottlenecks, and modify objectives if necessary.
Just three simple questions:
This benevolent monitoring transforms the objective into a living steering tool, rather than a fixed indicator.
Achievement of objectives deserves recognition. Celebrating successes, even partial ones, nurtures motivation and collective momentum.
For example: organize a quarterly team update to share progress and learning. A simple phrase like "Thanks to your work, we've reached our customer lead time target" can have a powerful impact on commitment. Shared objectives come to life: everyone feels part of the collective success, and setting objectives becomes a driving force rather than a constraint.
Setting individual objectives is much more than a necessary part of the annual reference period: it's an act of strategic management. It aligns priorities, reinforces motivation and ensures that objectives are met in a dynamic, human way.
To succeed, keep these 4 levers in mind:
In short: setting objectives means guiding. And knowing how to modify objectives when the context changes means steering with intelligence.
Setting individual objectives is a well-known ritual for managers. Every year, teams get together to define their priorities, formalize their ambitions and then take action. But in many companies, this exercise turns into a formality. Objectives are too vague, disconnected from the field, or poorly linked to the team's common goals. As a result, they don't help achieve collective objectives, and can even demotivate.
Setting objectives isn't about filling in boxes, it's about creating a framework of meaning, clarity and progress. Discover 4 concrete tips from managers for transforming goal-setting into a real lever for performance and commitment.
Before talking about figures, indicators or deadlines, we need to give meaning. An objective only has value if it fits into a broader, shared vision.
Each employee must be able to answer a simple question: "Why this objective? And what does it contribute to?". A good individual objective must be linked to common objectives. For example, instead of "increase sales by 10%", we could write "contribute to the growth of the SME segment to support the company's BtoB strategy". The idea behind this is to make goal-setting an exercise in meaning and alignment.
Another interesting example: in an HR team, rather than "carry out 5 recruitments a month", we can define "reinforce the quality of recruitments to accelerate the skills development of field teams". This links the achievement of individual objectives to a collective ambition.
A good manager knows that objectives must not be set out of the ground. Targets set without consultation or knowledge of the actual context create frustration and disengagement. Involving employees in the discussion is essential:
This makes it possible to adjust or even modify objectives if the terrain changes, without losing sight of the collective course.
Effective target-setting requires simple, transparent and shared methods.
The SMART method remains a benchmark for structuring individual objectives. It makes it easier to manage day-to-day performance.
A SMART goal is :
An example: "Organize and run two in-house training courses by June to reinforce mastery of the new CRM". This SMART objective is concrete, measurable and time-based.
For more agile teams, the OKR (Objectives & Key Results) method involves employees in common objectives, and measures the achievement of objectives with quantifiable key results.
Setting objectives must be easy to understand. Too many objectives dilute attention and hinder achievement. Limiting the number of individual objectives to 3 to 5 per employee helps to keep things on track.
An example for a marketing manager:
These objectives are clear, linked to common goals and measurable over the reference period.
An imposed objective is not a commitment. Conversely, a co-constructed objective develops responsibility and gives meaning.
The objective-setting meeting should not be a mere administrative formality. It's a time for co-construction. The manager presents the collective priorities, then the employee suggests how to contribute to them.
For example: "Our team's challenge is to improve customer satisfaction. How do you want to contribute to this, and what indicators do you think are relevant to monitor its achievement?"
This approach fosters clarity and enables adjustments to be made if necessary: the possibility of modifying objectives during the period must be built in from the outset. If the realities on the ground change, the objectives must be able to change too.
Setting individual goals is about more than just numbers. Personal development goals reinforce motivation and long-term progress.
Some interesting examples:
These objectives help to achieve collective goals while supporting individual development.
Once objectives have been set, management doesn't stop there. The challenge is to support the achievement of these objectives, and to make adjustments along the way.
The reference period should be punctuated by monthly or quarterly milestones, depending on the context. These points enable us to measure progress, identify bottlenecks, and modify objectives if necessary.
Just three simple questions:
This benevolent monitoring transforms the objective into a living steering tool, rather than a fixed indicator.
Achievement of objectives deserves recognition. Celebrating successes, even partial ones, nurtures motivation and collective momentum.
For example: organize a quarterly team update to share progress and learning. A simple phrase like "Thanks to your work, we've reached our customer lead time target" can have a powerful impact on commitment. Shared objectives come to life: everyone feels part of the collective success, and setting objectives becomes a driving force rather than a constraint.
Setting individual objectives is much more than a necessary part of the annual reference period: it's an act of strategic management. It aligns priorities, reinforces motivation and ensures that objectives are met in a dynamic, human way.
To succeed, keep these 4 levers in mind:
In short: setting objectives means guiding. And knowing how to modify objectives when the context changes means steering with intelligence.
Discover all our courses and workshops to address the most critical management and leadership challenges.
Quality certification has been awarded for the following category of actions: TRAINING INITIATIVES
Training organisation registered under the number 11755339875. This registration does not imply state approval.
.svg)
.png){kind=small}
.png){kind=small}
