June 13, 2023 • 11 mins
Ready to level up your goal-setting game and achieve more than ever before? Discover the power of the SMART Goal-Setting Technique in our latest episode, where we break down how to set specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-bound goals that will lead to greater success.
But why stop there? In the second half of this episode, we dive into strategies for personal and professional improvement, guiding you through mindset shifts, leadership development, and goal clarification. We share actionable tips to advance your career and resources to help you take charge of your life. Don't miss this opportunity to learn valuable advice and strategies for becoming the best version of yourself - with the SMART Goal-Setting Technique and a commitment to growth, there's no limit to what you can accomplish.
Please connect with me on:
1. Instagram: stephen.mclain
2. Twitter: smclainiii
3. Facebook: stephenmclainconsultant
4. LinkedIn: stephenjmclainiii
For more resources, please visit Finance Leader Academy: financeleaderacademy.com.
- On the website, you can download the Become a Finance Leader Guide. You can use this guide to build your Finance Leadership skills so you can help senior leaders develop and execute the strategy.
- I also offer a course, Advance Your Finance and Accounting Career: Developing a Promotion Strategy that Sets You Apart.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Hi, this is Stephen MacLean of the Finance Leader
Podcast.
This is bonus episode number 60.
I hope you're having a greatday, i am for sure.
In last week's bonus episode, iasked you to review your goals,
since we are approachingmid-year.
For this week, i'm asking youto ensure you are using the
smart goal-setting technique,which is widely used in business
(00:23):
and organizations.
The acronym SMART stands forSpecific, measurable, achievable
, relevant and Time Bound.
So this week I want to shareepisode 102, use the SMART
Goal-Setting Method for BetterGoal Planning.
Let's make sure your goals areproperly planned so you can
execute them.
(00:43):
I believe in you and in thiscommunity and I want you to
succeed, so use SMART.
Also, please check out FinanceLeader Academy.
I offer a course calledAdvanced Your Career.
I added the link in the shownotes so you can preview this
course.
There is an introductory videothere to explain how this course
can help you, And pleasedownload the free Become a
(01:06):
Finance Leader Guide.
I know that can help you too.
Season 15 of the Finance LeaderPodcast will debut on July 11.
Please enjoy this on-courtepisode.
Episode 102, use the SMARTGoal-Setting Method for Better
Goal Planning, thank you.
Last episode, i talked aboutgoal setting for 2023 and that I
(01:33):
want you to be bold this year.
That's bold B believe, oovercome, l leadership and D
decisive When we set our goals.
Let's use the SMART GoalSetting Methodology so we set
realistic goals that we canachieve, because we have
properly thought through thebest way to plan them and
(01:56):
achieve them.
You know how I feel about NewYear's resolutions because at
this point, most people havegiven up on them since they had
no solid foundation in beingachieved.
Let's plan out our goals thatmake sense for us.
Please enjoy the episode.
Welcome to the Finance LeaderPodcast, where leadership is
bigger than the numbers.
(02:16):
I am your host, stephen McClain.
This is the podcast fordeveloping leaders in finance
and accounting.
Please consider following me onTwitter, facebook, instagram
and LinkedIn.
My usernames and the links arein this episode's show notes.
This is episode number 102 andI'll be talking about the SMART
(02:37):
Goal Setting Technique, and Iwill highlight the following
topics Number one be focused.
Number two the SMART GoalSetting Technique.
And three ensure you are beingbold this year.
Legendary football coach LouHoltz said if you're bored with
life, you don't get up everymorning with a burning desire to
(02:58):
do things.
You don't have enough goals.
In this episode.
I want to briefly talk aboutthe SMART Goal Setting Technique
.
I am sure you have heard aboutit previously and even used it.
It's a great technique toensure you properly plan out
your goals.
Smart Goal Setting is aframework for setting and
achieving specific, measurable,attainable, relevant and
(03:21):
time-bound goals.
It is a widely used method forsetting and achieving goals in
both personal and professionalsettings.
The acronym stands for Specific, measurable, attainable,
relevant and Time-Bound.
Using the SMART framework canhelp ensure that goals are clear
, actionable and achievable.
I love goals and goal settingand I love achievement even more
(03:44):
The focus and the effort toachieve something you want.
That is what goal setting andachievement is all about.
We talked extensively lastepisode about goal setting.
Have you written out your goalsfor this year?
If yes, that's great.
If not, you are not late at all.
It may take a few weeks touncover and decide what you want
to achieve for this year, andthat's okay.
(04:06):
If you have them, let's use theSMART Goal Setting methodology
to plan out our goals correctly.
What is your long-term goal Now?
this can change over time, butwhat do you want to achieve in
your professional life?
Ensure you plan backwards fromthat goal so that you know what
steps you need to achieve it?
Do you know your long-term goal?
(04:27):
Is it to be CFO or even CEO?
Maybe a CPA in a firm, abusiness owner or something else
?
There are so many possibilities.
Last episode, i also talkedabout being bold.
This year, that's B believe, oovercome L, as in leadership,
and D decisive.
Bold is a growth mindsettechnique to unlock your
(04:50):
potential.
I want you to be decisive aboutyour goals, decide what you
want to accomplish and thencommit action to that plan.
The productivity tip I want toshare with you this week is to
ensure that your goals arebroken down into smaller and
actionable chunks.
When you break down your goalsinto smaller and smaller pieces,
you are more likely to achieveyour bigger goal.
(05:11):
So break down your goal intosmaller and smaller parts, as
small as you can, and then youwill find yourself accomplishing
more.
One more thing having a writtenplan will set you up for
success and ensure you areupdating that plan as you make
progress and as you makedecisions about your goals.
Updating your plan monthly isideal.
(05:31):
Now put time on your calendarto ensure you get it done.
Broken down goals and a writtenplan.
Now let's talk about more,about goal setting and smart
goal setting.
Number one be focused.
To be successful, you must becommitted to excellence.
Be committed to achieving yourgoals.
You have to focus, you have toeliminate the distractions and
(05:52):
become hyper focused, whichmeans your routines have to
change and your approach has tochange.
Now, some of you won't believethis, but multitasking is really
a myth and the thought of it isruining your ability to achieve
the hard task.
Those of you who swear bymultitasking believe you are
getting more done and youbelieve you truly are working on
(06:13):
more than one task or problemat a time And the thought of it
is ruining your ability toachieve the hard task, which is
your long term goal.
But what it is is slowing youdown and what really happens is
that both tasks you are workingon becomes less than excellence.
You are actually achieving lessand you are not really
achieving your potential.
And since you are not focusedon one particular task, both
(06:36):
tasks are suffering.
By focusing on one task,objective or goal at a time, you
can hyper focus on that onearea so you achieve it with
excellence.
One area, so you can focus.
Focus is key.
Number two the smart goalsetting technique.
Smart goal setting is a methodof setting goals that is widely
(06:57):
used in business andorganizations.
The acronym SMART stands forSpecific, measurable, achievable
, relevant and Time Bound.
These five criteria are used toensure that goals are well
defined and achievable.
Specific A specific goal has aclear target or outcome that is
(07:17):
well defined.
It should answer the questionsof what, why and how.
Now, measurable a measurablegoal can be quantified or
tracked in some way.
This allows for progress to bemonitored and the goals
achievement to be evaluated.
Achievable The goal should berealistic and attainable.
It should be something that canbe achieved with the resources
(07:39):
and capabilities that areavailable.
Relevant A relevant goal is onethat aligns with the overall
objectives and mission of theorganization or individual.
Time bound a goal should have aspecific deadline for
completion.
This creates a sense of urgencyand helps to focus efforts
towards achieving the goal.
Using the SMART criteria whensetting goals can help to ensure
(08:02):
that they are clear, achievableand align with the overall
objectives of the organizationor individual.
It can also help to increasemotivation and focus, making it
more likely that the goal willbe achieved.
Number three I want you to bebold in 2023.
I talked about this in the lastepisode.
I want you to apply bold thisyear in everything you do.
(08:24):
Bold, which is believe,overcome leadership and decisive
.
Believe is knowing that you canachieve the goals you are
setting for yourself.
It's important to believe thatyou can get it done Now.
Being bold is about ensuringyou go after and achieve your
long-term goal.
Now go get it For action today.
(08:45):
First, i want you to validateyour long-term goal.
Do you have that written downand planned out?
Ensure you know your long-termgoal.
It can change, so it's good toreview and update it so you know
what you're committing yourselfto.
Next, i want you to format yourgoals using the smart technique
I talked about today.
Look over your goals and ensureyou have addressed the acronym
(09:06):
SMART Specific, measurable,achievable, relevant and Time
Bound.
Review your goals and yourindividual development plan.
Now one more thing do yourdaily routines and habits
support your goal achievementprocess?
Now, if you have not already, iwant to invite you to download
a leadership guide for financeand accounting leaders.
(09:27):
You can go tofinanceleaderacademycom and
select Free Leadership Guide onthe main menu.
It's free and it may give you afew ideas for your own
leadership development.
Today I talked about the SMARTgoal setting technique and I
highlighted the following pointsNumber one be focused.
Number two the SMART goalsetting technique.
And three ensure you are beingbold this year.
(09:50):
Goal setting is importantbecause it provides direction
and focus and helps individualsand organizations to achieve
their desired outcomes.
By setting clear, measurableand achievable goals,
individuals and organizationscan track progress and measure
success.
I love goal setting andachievement, and I hope you do
too.
High-performing professionalswant to be around other high
(10:14):
performers who are focused andready to achieve.
Now, next episode, i will betalking about preparing yourself
for improvement and achievement.
We are going to address ourmindset, which is a topic close
to my heart, just likeleadership and goal setting.
I hope you enjoyed the FinanceLeader podcast.
I am dedicated to helping yougrow your leadership skills, to
(10:36):
change your mindset and toclarify your goals so you
advance your career.
You can find this episodewherever you listen to podcasts.
If this episode helped youtoday, please share and leave a
quick review so that others mayfind the podcast Until next time
.
You can check out moreresources at
financeleaderacademycom and signup for my weekly updates so you
(10:57):
don't miss an episode of thepodcast.
And now go lead your team andI'll see you next time.
Thank you.
Hi, this is Stephen MacLean of the Finance Leader
Podcast.
This is bonus episode number 60.
I hope you're having a greatday, i am for sure.
In last week's bonus episode, iasked you to review your goals,
since we are approachingmid-year.
For this week, i'm asking youto ensure you are using the
smart goal-setting technique,which is widely used in business
(00:23):
and organizations.
The acronym SMART stands forSpecific, measurable, achievable
, relevant and Time Bound.
So this week I want to shareepisode 102, use the SMART
Goal-Setting Method for BetterGoal Planning.
Let's make sure your goals areproperly planned so you can
execute them.
(00:43):
I believe in you and in thiscommunity and I want you to
succeed, so use SMART.
Also, please check out FinanceLeader Academy.
I offer a course calledAdvanced Your Career.
I added the link in the shownotes so you can preview this
course.
There is an introductory videothere to explain how this course
can help you, And pleasedownload the free Become a
(01:06):
Finance Leader Guide.
I know that can help you too.
Season 15 of the Finance LeaderPodcast will debut on July 11.
Please enjoy this on-courtepisode.
Episode 102, use the SMARTGoal-Setting Method for Better
Goal Planning, thank you.
Last episode, i talked aboutgoal setting for 2023 and that I
(01:33):
want you to be bold this year.
That's bold B believe, oovercome, l leadership and D
decisive When we set our goals.
Let's use the SMART GoalSetting Methodology so we set
realistic goals that we canachieve, because we have
properly thought through thebest way to plan them and
(01:56):
achieve them.
You know how I feel about NewYear's resolutions because at
this point, most people havegiven up on them since they had
no solid foundation in beingachieved.
Let's plan out our goals thatmake sense for us.
Please enjoy the episode.
Welcome to the Finance LeaderPodcast, where leadership is
bigger than the numbers.
(02:16):
I am your host, stephen McClain.
This is the podcast fordeveloping leaders in finance
and accounting.
Please consider following me onTwitter, facebook, instagram
and LinkedIn.
My usernames and the links arein this episode's show notes.
This is episode number 102 andI'll be talking about the SMART
(02:37):
Goal Setting Technique, and Iwill highlight the following
topics Number one be focused.
Number two the SMART GoalSetting Technique.
And three ensure you are beingbold this year.
Legendary football coach LouHoltz said if you're bored with
life, you don't get up everymorning with a burning desire to
(02:58):
do things.
You don't have enough goals.
In this episode.
I want to briefly talk aboutthe SMART Goal Setting Technique
.
I am sure you have heard aboutit previously and even used it.
It's a great technique toensure you properly plan out
your goals.
Smart Goal Setting is aframework for setting and
achieving specific, measurable,attainable, relevant and
(03:21):
time-bound goals.
It is a widely used method forsetting and achieving goals in
both personal and professionalsettings.
The acronym stands for Specific, measurable, attainable,
relevant and Time-Bound.
Using the SMART framework canhelp ensure that goals are clear
, actionable and achievable.
I love goals and goal settingand I love achievement even more
(03:44):
The focus and the effort toachieve something you want.
That is what goal setting andachievement is all about.
We talked extensively lastepisode about goal setting.
Have you written out your goalsfor this year?
If yes, that's great.
If not, you are not late at all.
It may take a few weeks touncover and decide what you want
to achieve for this year, andthat's okay.
(04:06):
If you have them, let's use theSMART Goal Setting methodology
to plan out our goals correctly.
What is your long-term goal Now?
this can change over time, butwhat do you want to achieve in
your professional life?
Ensure you plan backwards fromthat goal so that you know what
steps you need to achieve it?
Do you know your long-term goal?
(04:27):
Is it to be CFO or even CEO?
Maybe a CPA in a firm, abusiness owner or something else
?
There are so many possibilities.
Last episode, i also talkedabout being bold.
This year, that's B believe, oovercome L, as in leadership,
and D decisive.
Bold is a growth mindsettechnique to unlock your
(04:50):
potential.
I want you to be decisive aboutyour goals, decide what you
want to accomplish and thencommit action to that plan.
The productivity tip I want toshare with you this week is to
ensure that your goals arebroken down into smaller and
actionable chunks.
When you break down your goalsinto smaller and smaller pieces,
you are more likely to achieveyour bigger goal.
(05:11):
So break down your goal intosmaller and smaller parts, as
small as you can, and then youwill find yourself accomplishing
more.
One more thing having a writtenplan will set you up for
success and ensure you areupdating that plan as you make
progress and as you makedecisions about your goals.
Updating your plan monthly isideal.
(05:31):
Now put time on your calendarto ensure you get it done.
Broken down goals and a writtenplan.
Now let's talk about more,about goal setting and smart
goal setting.
Number one be focused.
To be successful, you must becommitted to excellence.
Be committed to achieving yourgoals.
You have to focus, you have toeliminate the distractions and
(05:52):
become hyper focused, whichmeans your routines have to
change and your approach has tochange.
Now, some of you won't believethis, but multitasking is really
a myth and the thought of it isruining your ability to achieve
the hard task.
Those of you who swear bymultitasking believe you are
getting more done and youbelieve you truly are working on
(06:13):
more than one task or problemat a time And the thought of it
is ruining your ability toachieve the hard task, which is
your long term goal.
But what it is is slowing youdown and what really happens is
that both tasks you are workingon becomes less than excellence.
You are actually achieving lessand you are not really
achieving your potential.
And since you are not focusedon one particular task, both
(06:36):
tasks are suffering.
By focusing on one task,objective or goal at a time, you
can hyper focus on that onearea so you achieve it with
excellence.
One area, so you can focus.
Focus is key.
Number two the smart goalsetting technique.
Smart goal setting is a methodof setting goals that is widely
(06:57):
used in business andorganizations.
The acronym SMART stands forSpecific, measurable, achievable
, relevant and Time Bound.
These five criteria are used toensure that goals are well
defined and achievable.
Specific A specific goal has aclear target or outcome that is
(07:17):
well defined.
It should answer the questionsof what, why and how.
Now, measurable a measurablegoal can be quantified or
tracked in some way.
This allows for progress to bemonitored and the goals
achievement to be evaluated.
Achievable The goal should berealistic and attainable.
It should be something that canbe achieved with the resources
(07:39):
and capabilities that areavailable.
Relevant A relevant goal is onethat aligns with the overall
objectives and mission of theorganization or individual.
Time bound a goal should have aspecific deadline for
completion.
This creates a sense of urgencyand helps to focus efforts
towards achieving the goal.
Using the SMART criteria whensetting goals can help to ensure
(08:02):
that they are clear, achievableand align with the overall
objectives of the organizationor individual.
It can also help to increasemotivation and focus, making it
more likely that the goal willbe achieved.
Number three I want you to bebold in 2023.
I talked about this in the lastepisode.
I want you to apply bold thisyear in everything you do.
(08:24):
Bold, which is believe,overcome leadership and decisive
.
Believe is knowing that you canachieve the goals you are
setting for yourself.
It's important to believe thatyou can get it done Now.
Being bold is about ensuringyou go after and achieve your
long-term goal.
Now go get it For action today.
(08:45):
First, i want you to validateyour long-term goal.
Do you have that written downand planned out?
Ensure you know your long-termgoal.
It can change, so it's good toreview and update it so you know
what you're committing yourselfto.
Next, i want you to format yourgoals using the smart technique
I talked about today.
Look over your goals and ensureyou have addressed the acronym
(09:06):
SMART Specific, measurable,achievable, relevant and Time
Bound.
Review your goals and yourindividual development plan.
Now one more thing do yourdaily routines and habits
support your goal achievementprocess?
Now, if you have not already, iwant to invite you to download
a leadership guide for financeand accounting leaders.
(09:27):
You can go tofinanceleaderacademycom and
select Free Leadership Guide onthe main menu.
It's free and it may give you afew ideas for your own
leadership development.
Today I talked about the SMARTgoal setting technique and I
highlighted the following pointsNumber one be focused.
Number two the SMART goalsetting technique.
And three ensure you are beingbold this year.
(09:50):
Goal setting is importantbecause it provides direction
and focus and helps individualsand organizations to achieve
their desired outcomes.
By setting clear, measurableand achievable goals,
individuals and organizationscan track progress and measure
success.
I love goal setting andachievement, and I hope you do
too.
High-performing professionalswant to be around other high
(10:14):
performers who are focused andready to achieve.
Now, next episode, i will betalking about preparing yourself
for improvement and achievement.
We are going to address ourmindset, which is a topic close
to my heart, just likeleadership and goal setting.
I hope you enjoyed the FinanceLeader podcast.
I am dedicated to helping yougrow your leadership skills, to
(10:36):
change your mindset and toclarify your goals so you
advance your career.
You can find this episodewherever you listen to podcasts.
If this episode helped youtoday, please share and leave a
quick review so that others mayfind the podcast Until next time
.
You can check out moreresources at
financeleaderacademycom and signup for my weekly updates so you
(10:57):
don't miss an episode of thepodcast.
And now go lead your team andI'll see you next time.
Thank you.
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