Explain how goal-setting relates across different levels of an organization. What characteristics do effective goals possess?

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

Corporate-level managers set goals for individual divisions, which in turn set goals for each function. Functional managers then set goals for individual workers. Goals at each level must harmonize with other levels. It is important that goals are set appropriately to motivate success. If goals are set at an impossibly high level, managers might work only halfheartedly to achieve them because they are certain they will fail. In contrast, if goals are set so low that they are too easy to achieve, managers will not be motivated to use all their resources as efficiently and effectively as possible. The best goals are specific, difficult goals-goals that challenge and stretch managers' ability but are not out of reach and do not require an impossibly high expenditure of managerial time and energy. Such goals are often called stretch goals.