Let your employees set their own goals (6/12)

Many employees find goals set for them by the management to actually be demotivating. Often the goals can be unrealistic or they might, for example, be more dependent on external factors than the success of the person doing the work. The key is to find the right balance of freedom and control. An obvious solution is to let your employees set their own goals. Some employees might find this slightly intimidating at first, but most will learn to love this as it empowers them to be responsible for their own success, thus motivating them to work more efficiently to reach ever higher goals. As a team leader, it’s simply your job to make sure that:

1. the goals are aligned with the higher-level objectives of the team and the organization at large
2. the goals are ambitious enough to constantly challenge the employee.

Contributors: Jesse Nieminen from Viima