As an instructional designer, for years I wrote training programs that included in some way, shape, or form, SMART goals. I hate SMART goals. I will never, ever write about them again if I can help it. I tried to come up with other acronyms that could substitute, I had one at one point, but can't remember it now. At any rate, I came across this acronym on Avinash Kaushik's website and I LOVE it.
DUMB: Doable. Understandable. Manageable. Beneficial.
In my opinion, DUMB goals are much better than SMART goals. First of all, because there are only four things to remember instead of five. In SMART goals (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, Time-dated--in case by some one-in-a-million chance you've never heard of SMART goals), everyone always got confused with measurable/time-dated and achievable/realistic. DUMB goals are simpler and have the added bonus of being "beneficial." After all, if it's not beneficial, why do it? I've seen plenty of business initiatives well underway without anyone taking 2 seconds to discuss if the initiative was ultimately beneficial and why.
So, I don't know if Avinash came up with DUMB goals on his own or not, but I want to do my part in making the world a DUMB-er place...at least when it comes to goal setting.
No comments:
Post a Comment