The Power of Goal Tracking for Maximum Success

You’ve created the SMARTER milestone and metric goal, so your employee is set up for success, right? Wrong. Getting the goals down on paper is the beginning of the process, but without goal-tracking follow-up, many goals turn into something more like wishful thinking than achievable objectives.

Regularly monitoring your employees’ goal progress is one of the most significant actions you can take to ensure your team's success. As a people manager, you act as a sounding board, accountability partner, and coach. Effective goal tracking keeps everyone accountable and allows for timely adjustments and feedback when things are off course.

In this article, we’ll explore best practices for consistently tracking progress, from using the right tools to scheduling 1:1s so you can support your team in reaching their full potential.

• Use a goal-tracking platform or tool to centralize progress (e.g., project management software, spreadsheets, or a dedicated performance management tool like miviva).
• Ensure team members can easily update their progress.
• TAKE ACTION: Implement a tool that both you and your team can access and update regularly. Familiarize your team with the platform and set expectations for regular updates.

• Set up recurring 1:1 meetings to discuss progress on goals. Ideally, meet with all employees weekly or bi-weekly. New employees should be meeting with you at least once a week. If you’re strapped for time, meet with seasoned employees for at least a half hour once a month at minimum.
• Goal tracking should be included as a standing agenda item for 1:1s and team meetings.
• TAKE ACTION: Establish half-hour or hour weekly, or bi-weekly check-ins with each team member to discuss their progress. Make these meetings a priority.

• Regularly check your tracking tool to see how your team is progressing.
• Pay attention to whether milestones are being met or if deadlines are being pushed back.
• TAKE ACTION: Block out 10 -15 minutes each week on your calendar to review your teams' goal progress. Look for patterns of success or areas of concern and note them in the agenda for each employee’s upcoming 1:1.

• Be flexible with goals if circumstances change. If an employee is struggling, review the feasibility of the goal and consider making adjustments. This why SMARTER goals can be impactful. The ER in SMARTER stands for evaluate and revise. Making small course corrections along the way can be the difference between success and failure.
• TAKE ACTION: In your check-ins, ask if any barriers or challenges prevent progress. Ask the employees if they have ideas on how to fix these barriers or if there is a tool or asset you can provide to help them. If goals are unrealistic, work with your team members to adjust them while still maintaining accountability.

• Use the information gathered from progress tracking to offer immediate feedback.
• Recognize an employee's achievements if they're on track. If they’re falling behind, ask the employee why and help them identify solutions to get back on track.
• TAKE ACTION: During your 1:1s, offer specific feedback on what’s going well and discuss what adjustments are needed. Be proactive—don’t wait for the end of a review cycle to provide input.

• Empower employees to take ownership of their progress by encouraging self-reporting on goals.
• TAKE ACTION: At the start of each week, ask your team members to come to 1:1s prepared to discuss their goals. Even better have them add this to your 1:1 agenda.

Tracking progress toward goals is an ongoing responsibility for any manager. By setting up systems, using the right tools, and consistently engaging with your team, you can keep everyone on track and help them reach their full potential. Implement the basics, then refine your approach over time for a comprehensive progress-tracking strategy.

• Learn how to set goals that drive real results.
• Discover strategies to make performance reviews less stressful and more effective.
• See how SMARTER goals fit into performance management.