Goals are like a double-edged sword. On the one hand, they can galvanize people and increase their productivity. In fact, some management-by-objectives techniques work well on an individual level. On the other hand, these methods are not suitable for groups. They should therefore be avoided in certain situations, where they may give rise to frustration and/or parochialism. In short, they can be counter-productive. Targets should not instill destructive competitiveness, but be a source of motivation and part of a broader framework of collective aspirations. Whatever they are, make sure that they do indeed have an emulating effect.

• Start by setting goals for your team. Think about what you want to achieve. Also ask yourself what the interests of your wider goals are. They should bind and spur the group together, correspond to the individual roles assigned and reflect the organization's ambitions. Everyone should be aiming for the same result, while being aware of the impact they are making.
• Break down collective goals into individual objectives. Once you've set goals for your team, give each member the autonomy to determine their own, in line with their function and role. Everyone needs to be able to take key initiatives in the common interest.
• Be transparent. Make sure your objectives - both collective and individual - are clearly understood. To do this, you need to communicate them intelligibly. This will enable people to harmonize into a more effective unit: they'll be aligned with each other, rather than competing with each other.
• Set objectives with a view to partnership. Performance planning is a collaborative process, not an individual one. So adopt a participative approach, taking into account each person's area of responsibility, role expectations, and the results you want to achieve collectively.
• Be aware of the Pygmalion51 effect on your goals... and your success. Numerous studies have shown that a person can transcend himself (but also, unfortunately, fade away), depending on how others look at him and judge his potential. So have high expectations and let others know. Be aware of your influence on others and take responsibility for it, for everyone's sake.

• Organizational rigidity. A lack of dynamism in processes can prove sclerotic, when it prevents the reshaping of objectives in line with changing circumstances. By putting things at their worst, the organization ends up with ambitions that work against it. That's the impasse. Unfortunately, I've seen teams make decisions that went against their objectives. The only justification for these choices was to tick boxes for the next annual review.
• Set-up fail syndrome. It's the Pygmalion effect in reverse. A vicious circle is set in motion: people perceived as under-performing conform to this image, and their self-esteem plummets. Negative prejudices become self-fulfilling, as if they had prophetic powers.
• The "protect your bonus" reflex syndrome. When rewards are too closely linked to individual objectives, counter-productive behavior can be observed in some people. I have Organizational rigidity. A lack of dynamism in processes can prove sclerotic, when it prevents the reshaping of objectives in line with changing circumstances. By putting things at their worst, the organization ends up with ambitions that work against it. That's the impasse. Unfortunately, I've seen teams make decisions that went against their objectives. The only justification for these choices was to tick boxes for the next annual review.
  Set-up fail syndrome. This is the Pygmalion effect in reverse. A vicious circle is created: people perceived as under-performing conform to this image, and their self-esteem plummets. Negative prejudices become self-fulfilling, as if they had prophetic powers.
  The "protect your bonus" reflex syndrome. When rewards are too closely linked to individual objectives, counter-productive behaviors can be observed in some people. I've seen leaders set targets for themselves that were less demanding than those they had set for their teams in order to earn a bonus. This is a sure-fire way of damaging the atmosphere and generating mistrust in management.
  Being unfair or unrealistic. You won't be able to motivate a team with an objective whose meaning escapes them. Make sure it meets the criteria of the SMART acronym: Specific (or individualized), Measurable (quantitatively or qualitatively), Attainable (or acceptable), Realistic (or relevant) and Time-bound (i.e. with a deadline). Better still: adopt the SMARTIES approach and ask people if they find the objective inspiring, ethical and something they can pursue with a Smile:-)
  Neglect the behavioral dimension. Many leaders pay disproportionate attention to what they want collectively; they don't give enough thought to how they're going to go about it. However, objectives must also meet a need for personal development. Encourage your team to take ownership of the behaviours and measures needed to achieve the desired results. Some leaders set less demanding objectives for themselves than those they assigned to their teams in order to obtain a bonus. This is a sure-fire way of damaging the atmosphere and generating mistrust in management.
• Being unfair or unrealistic. You won't be able to motivate a team with an objective whose meaning escapes them. Make sure it meets the criteria of the SMART acronym: Specific (or individualized), Measurable (quantitatively or qualitatively), Attainable (or acceptable), Realistic (or relevant) and Time-bound (i.e. with a deadline). Better still: adopt the SMARTIES approach and ask people if they find the objective also Inspiring, Ethical and likely to be pursued with a Smile:-)
• Neglecting the behavioral dimension. Many leaders pay disproportionate attention to what they want collectively; they don't give enough thought to how they're going to go about it. However, objectives must also meet a need for personal development. Encourage your team to take ownership of the behaviors and actions needed to achieve the desired results.