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Irial OFarrell
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SMART Objective Setting for Managers : A Roadmap (Performance Development Series) Kindle Edition

by Irial O'Farrell (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.3 out of 5 stars 118 ratings

***Amazon Best Seller***


Do you feel out of your depth when setting objectives for your team?

Ah, the annual ritual of objective-setting! Loved by so few, undertaken by so many. Do you get a slight knot in the pit of your stomach, just thinking about it? You’re not alone…

Most managers dread it because they're not 100% sure of what they're supposed to do. Promoted with little training, they're just supposed to know how to design objectives. Know how to develop soft skills. Sure it's easy, right?

On top of that, there’s the niggling feeling that the process doesn’t make much of a difference. It's a tick-box exercise managers are forced to do. Sound familiar? Here's a little secret for you...

The usual SMART theory is based on you setting a goal for you...but performance objective-setting naturally involves setting a goal with another person i.e., we're dealing with two processes - SMART and Communication.

Based on insights arising from the author's own management experience, developing hundreds of managers and designing performance management processes, enter the SMART world of objective-setting and:
  • Gain a 360 view of performance, job descriptions and objectives
  • Unpack the SMART framework, for a unique take on using it effectively in performance management
  • Weave the communication process into designing SMART objectives, to ensure alignment
  • Learn how to design objectives that develop "soft competencies" such as stakeholder management and communication
  • Link objectives to human motivation theories, to increase employee buy-in
  • Consider how to prepare for and structure objective-setting meetings

What would a 10% increase in your team's performance mean to you?
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  1. Part of series
    Performance Development Series
  2. Print length
    212 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Publication date
    September 27, 2020
  5. File size
    3.2 MB
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Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B08K939TJ5
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Evolution Consulting (September 27, 2020)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ September 27, 2020
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 3.2 MB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 212 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.3 out of 5 stars 118 ratings

About the author

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Irial OFarrell

Irial OFarrell

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Okay, I admit it…I’m a “people-and-performance” geek!

Is that a phrase? I don’t know but I can tell you that since my very first job in Australia, I have been endlessly fascinated with what makes people tick in the workplace and how that collectively combines to impact the business’ performance. This endless curiosity has allowed my 25+ year career evolve from financial services operations to management to learning & development to executive coaching to strategy, organisation design and change management.

Oh, did I mention that I have an exceptionally high level of abstract reasoning?

I do, and my absolute all-time favourite place to apply it is to the human dynamics that impact on business performance. I told you I’m a people-and-performance geek! Seeing the patterns which prompt my curious questions leads to diagnosing the root causes of clients’ performance challenges. That allows me to design some really innovative solutions and monitor how they work out.

The third thing to know about me is that I love to figure out how to get people to their A-ha moments, so they actively make the changes they need t, that result in increased performance. A favourite technique is to walk them down alternative future paths, so they can make their own informed choice. One of my oft-used phrases is: you can make any decision you want, so long as it’s from a position of awareness.

Combining my curiosity and abstract reasoning, I have built up very deep and unique insights into how best to design and implement leadership and management tools, so that they actually deliver the desired results. I have zero interest in tick-boxing. From my own 10 years as a manager, I have experienced the power of high-performing teams. I know that power is real and I want other leaders to experience it and benefit too.

Finally, I love writing. I don’t think I clearly realised this until 2011, when the urge to write grabbed me and I ended up writing Values – Not Just for the Office Wall Plaque, based on the wonderfully transformative effect understanding my own personal values had on me. Life got in the way for several years (as it does) and I didn’t back to writing until COVID hit in 2020.

I’m on a bit of a writing-roll now and I’m intent on sharing my deep expertise and cutting-edge insights through my books. Next up is my 4th book, which will focus on how to give effective feedback.

When I’m not writing books, or working with clients to increase their performance, I’m hanging out with family and friends, reading books, running, travelling the world or watching quiz shows. I also love a good murder mystery.

If learning about leadership and management tools and skills that really drive business performance is of interest to you, follow me on Amazon and keep up-to-date with all my news. Or visit me at www.evolutionconsulting.ie and check out how I can help you and your performance challenges.

Customer reviews

4.3 out of 5 stars
118 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find the book to be a useful tool for managers, with one mentioning it provides a clear roadmap to follow. The book receives positive feedback for its conversation quality, with one customer appreciating the scenario-based conversations throughout the text.

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9 customers mention "Knowledge level"9 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the book's knowledge level, finding it a useful tool for managers, with one customer noting it provides a clear roadmap to follow.

"...This book provides a road map on how to use the SMART method effectively--in a way that generates two-way conversation and increases the likelihood..." Read more

"...What this book does extremely well is break down the challenges with SMART goals and provide very clear examples of what to do insted...." Read more

"...This book includes some great other insights and tips about the different perspectives of the employee and manager...." Read more

"This book was extremely helpful to me as a new manager working with people to write their development objectives for the first time...." Read more

3 customers mention "Conversation quality"3 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the conversations in the book, with one mentioning the scenario-based approach and another noting how easy it is to imagine themselves in these interactions.

"...on how to use the SMART method effectively--in a way that generates two-way conversation and increases the likelihood of objectives being met...." Read more

"...I found it easy to imagine myself in the converstions and this helped to solidify the lessons...." Read more

"...I liked the example conversations, and felt like they could definitely happen in real life and they made the concepts super clear...." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

  • Amazon Customer
    5.0 out of 5 stars A Must-Read for All Managers
    Reviewed in the United States on October 6, 2020
    Verified Purchase
    When I picked up this book, I thought I had a solid understanding of the SMART method for goal setting and achievement. It never crossed my mind that there were so many nuances in the process of communicating objectives to team members. This book provides a road map on how to use the SMART method effectively--in a way that generates two-way conversation and increases the likelihood of objectives being met. There are so many assumptions that are made in the process of setting an objective, and the author does a great job illustrating exactly how to close the gap of assumptions. I highly recommend this book to anyone in a management position.
    2 people found this helpful
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  • Nils V.
    5.0 out of 5 stars Get Clarity With SMART Goals
    Reviewed in the United States on October 13, 2020
    Verified Purchase
    I have a lot of experience using and teaching SMART Goals over many years. What this book does extremely well is break down the challenges with SMART goals and provide very clear examples of what to do insted. I love the scenario-based conversations throughout the book as they are very realistic. I found it easy to imagine myself in the converstions and this helped to solidify the lessons.

    No matter your experience with goals of any kind, you will learn valuable strategies in this book to take them to the next level.
    2 people found this helpful
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  • J Dubster
    5.0 out of 5 stars Great book for managers
    Reviewed in the United States on October 5, 2020
    Verified Purchase
    This book points out and offers solutions for a clear problem with SMART Objectives: using them in teams. I use Smart for myself, but the easy ability to misinterpret them when more than one individual is involved is clear. The author points this out with a great example of what it means to "Do the dishes."

    This book includes some great other insights and tips about the different perspectives of the employee and manager. I loved the crosswalk/stop light example!

    Whether or not you are currently using SMART, I'd recommend this book for managers because it will help you improve at your job and help your company reach its goals.
    3 people found this helpful
    Helpful
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  • Tuweleme
    5.0 out of 5 stars Very clear, very easy to put into practice
    Reviewed in the United States on February 25, 2021
    Verified Purchase
    This book was extremely helpful to me as a new manager working with people to write their development objectives for the first time. I liked the example conversations, and felt like they could definitely happen in real life and they made the concepts super clear. Definitely recommend this book.
    Helpful
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  • piaf
    5.0 out of 5 stars A great book to understand SMART goals
    Reviewed in the United States on December 4, 2022
    Verified Purchase
    We started using smart goals at work and this book helped me to understand how to create these goals. It has several good examples to wrap your brain around the concept.
    2 people found this helpful
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  • j b
    5.0 out of 5 stars Get the results you are looking for!
    Reviewed in the United States on October 5, 2020
    Verified Purchase
    This book provides a new and refreshing way to look at setting SMART goals. It provides a clear roadmap for managers to follow to ensure great quality and result in their business or workplace. This book is a necessary tool to put a simple method into practice and get the results you’re looking for. A must-read for all leaders and managers!
    2 people found this helpful
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  • BL
    1.0 out of 5 stars Difficult to work through
    Reviewed in the United States on February 10, 2022
    Verified Purchase
    I had high expectations for this book. But wow, it was a tough one to get through. Super boring. The author does provide examples. And she'll later bring up the people she had previously mentioned. But as the examples were so boring, it did little to want me to invest time in remembering them.

    You're better off reading articles on the web.
    One person found this helpful
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  • Paul Viteri
    5.0 out of 5 stars great book
    Reviewed in the United States on October 15, 2022
    Verified Purchase
    It’s really good to understand how to use and apply correctly SMART objectives, I enjoyed the examples. It was like being in a class. Great!
    2 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

  • Book Lover
    5.0 out of 5 stars SMART Objectives - Theory and Practice
    Reviewed in the Netherlands on October 19, 2020
    Verified Purchase
    Smart objectives have never before been so practical. The auther describes the various ways Smart objectives can be implemented, giving different perspectives and practical examples. This is a clear, consise book, written by someone who knows the theory and is able to explain it in practical terms. Leaders will do well using this book to set objectives at any level in the organisation. Highly recommended!
    Report
  • Phil G
    5.0 out of 5 stars The management must buy of the year
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 2, 2020
    Verified Purchase
    I know what SMART is, I've been setting objectives for more than 20 years & I thought I knew what SMART objectives are. Boy, was I wrong! This book got me thinking about performance objectives in a completely different way. It's very clear & concise with excellent examples in each chapter. The structure is very well defined and logically developed. The summaries & prompts at the end of each chapter are great refresher notes & get you thinking about how to apply what you've just read. There's a eureka moment in each chapter, which is unique and very rare in most management books. Also, don't forget the appendices, they're pure gold dust.
    I can't recommend this book highly enough. If you're involved in managing people at any level, this is a must buy for you. For HR people & executive leaders, buy one for every one of your managers!
    Report
  • Yvonne McKenna
    4.0 out of 5 stars Very useful book alert!
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 1, 2020
    Verified Purchase
    In this book, the author has set herself a very specific task: to help managers be more effective at setting goals. You might think that goal setting is so fundamental to the role of management that it wouldn’t be possible to become a manager without a clear competency in the area. The reality, however, is that many managers, through career development and promotion, ‘find’ themselves in management roles, without ever having been to ‘management school’. (I put myself firmly in this category). And while fully signed up to the principles of SMART, do we really know how to use it to best effect?

    The good news is that the book succeeds in the task. In clear and accessible language, with an appropriate balance between theory and practice, the author demystifies the process of objective setting and the reader is left with, not just a useful reference book, but an expanded toolkit. Depending on the kind of organisation you manage, some chapters will likely appeal more than others. For me, the section on utilising SMART to develop interpersonal skills and behaviour was particularly enlightening. The book is unashamedly focused: don’t read it expecting to learn everything there is to know about being a manager. But it’s all the better for that. As this book illustrates, objective setting is at the core of performance, not just of the teams they manage, but of managers themselves. So, while it may not be possible to shift the blame on this one, with a book like this, there’s no need to try to either.
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  • Elle-telle
    5.0 out of 5 stars An easy to read SMART guide to help me in my role
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 3, 2020
    Verified Purchase
    The author managed to get me to reflect not only on how to support those in my team but also on my own practice. Although the examples are set in an industry I am not familiar with, they rang true of my sector and serve to illustrate how the process and framework whilst individual are universal . The reflective questions have me thinking about how I might have done things differently in the past but also fired enthusiasm for how I can incorporate the learning into my current and future roles. The author manages to make you feel like you’re in a session with her and I got lost in the pages. If you want to make a SMART investment, download this book
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  • Rebecca
    5.0 out of 5 stars Must read for any manager!
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 10, 2020
    Verified Purchase
    Incredibly useful guide to what SMART is really all about. I thought I just about understood it, but now feel I truly get it! The author is skillful and informative in describing what can sometimes be dry concepts in a brilliantly entertaining yet concise way. Summaries and quick exercises at the end of each chapter help consolidate the concepts. Above all, a valuable reminder that as humans we all have our own ways of thinking and interpreting, and that ultimately, good communication is the key to working well together. I would highly recommend this to any manager needing clear and well-structured guidance.
    Report

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