Unlocking the Power of Ambition, Goals, Objectives and Measurement
It’s the start of a new year. We’re optimistic and full of energy and enthusiasm. Executives feel it too and set audaciously ambitious goals for their organizations, expecting them to cascade into your annual performance goals.
Let’s be real: We’ve all had those moments where ambition feels like a dazzling firework show, but the follow-through is more like a sparkler fizzling out. As leaders and communicators, we live in a world of bold visions, tight (some might say unrealistic) deadlines and a mind-boggling amount email. Yet, bridging the gap between dreaming big and getting it done requires more than good intentions.
Enter the powerhouse quartet of superheroes: Ambition, Goals, Objectives and Measurement. Think of them as mighty Avengers in your professional toolkit. Individually, they’re useful. Together, they’re unstoppable. Let’s looks at them individually, element by element, and determine how to put them to work for you as you set your goals for the year ahead.
Getting to Know the Dream Team
Ambition: Your Destination
Ambition is your ultimate aspiration for the year—a long-term vision of where you want to go.
Think of ambition as the destination of where you want to be or who you want to become at the end of the year. When you begin with the end in mind, you’ll increase your chances of getting there ten-fold.
To clarify, your ambition isn’t your purpose, which is the WHY behind what you want to achieve. Purpose is your North Star; it’s what keeps you going even when the coffee runs out. Ambition, on the other hand, is the WHAT that’s bound tightly to a strong desire to achieve something or become better than you are today. It isn’t about daily checklists; it’s about seeing the mountain you want to climb.
Examples:
- Ambition for a leader: “To build a highly effective team that’s confident, feels empowered and safe to bring their best selves to work and is trusted and valued by business partners for their expertise and counsel.”
- Ambition for a communicator: “Develop a content and channels strategy that reduces the noise and makes it crystal clear where to go for what, what’s important and when action is required.”
Goals: Stepping Stones to Your Ambition
Goals are the major stepping stones that represent the path that you or your team need to follow to achieve your ambition. They’re the HOW you bring your ambition closer to reality. Unlike ambition, which may be lofty, goals are SMART: Specific, Measurable, Achievable (or realistic), Relevant and Time bound. SMART goals turn your ambition into actionable destinations.
Examples:
- For Leaders: “By the end of Q2, complete at least six 1:1 coaching sessions with each team member to identify their strengths, areas for growth and career aspirations, and implement at least two tailored development opportunities per individual (e.g., training, mentorship or project leadership) to enhance their confidence, skills and contributions.”
- For Communicators: “By the end of Q3, complete a comprehensive audit of all existing content and communication channels, identify and eliminate at least 15% of redundant or low-impact content, and launch communication campaign to ensure at least 80% of users surveyed report clarity on where to find key information and required actions.”
AL’s Insight: Goals are like running a marathon—you need to know how many miles you’re tackling and when you’ll cross the finish line. When writing your goals, be sure to start them with an active verb and word them so that when you ask, “did I / we achieve the goal?” you can answer “Yes” or “No.” There’s no “sort of” in setting goals. Channel Yoda and “do or do not, there is no try.” You either achieved the goal or you didn’t. Now, there’s no shame in not reaching a goal… only learning. If you didn’t achieve a goal, take a closer look and determine why, adjust and set a new and better goal based on what you learned.
Without goals, ambition is just a daydream with good PR. Goals drive action. Action produces progress. And progress, no matter how incremental, produces results.
Objectives: “the How” You Achieve Goals
Objectives are the HOW you achieve your goals. They’re bite-sized, actionable steps that build toward your goals. They’re the bridge between dreaming big and doing the work. Like goals, they’re SMART but more short-term. Additionally, they make your big goals manageable. If goals are the “how” you achieve your ambition, think of objectives as the “how” you’ll achieve your goals.
For the leader’s goal, objectives might look like:
- Schedule and conduct three 1:1 coaching sessions with each team member by the end of Q1 to explore their strengths, growth areas and career aspirations.
- Implement two personalized development opportunities for each individual, like mentorship, training or project leadership, to build skills and confidence by the end of Q2.
For the communicator’s goal, objectives could include:
- Conduct a detailed audit of all existing content and communication channels, categorizing content by relevance and impact by the end of Q2.
Q3 and eliminate at least 10% of content deemed redundant or low-impact, as measured by user feedback or analytics on content usage by Oct. 31. - Launch a communication campaign that targets all users with clear instructions on where to find key information and required actions by the end of Q3, achieving at least 80% user clarity as measured through a post-campaign survey.
AL’s Insight: Objectives are the unsung heroes—easy to overlook but essential to getting the job done. Without them, your big goals are stuck in PowerPoint purgatory. Objectives are where the rubber meets the proverbial road. And to make demonstrable progress, you need an effective strategy to get $h*t done!
Measurement: Measure the Metrics that Matter
Productivity experts and professionals focused on operational excellence love to measure everything and for good reason. Business leaders love data.
There’s an old joke about a statistician being asked, “What does the data say?” Their answer, “What do you want it to say?” While data can be presented out of context or even manipulated, those truly interested in continuous improvement act with integrity.
They measure to capture a baseline, develop a hypothesis, take action, measure again and then analyze the results. By analyzing the results, they gain insights. Those insights lead to more action and remarkable results over time.
Measuring Activity is Easier but Impact grabs Attention
Many people focus on measuring activity because it’s easier. I suggest a more holistic approach where measurement is the process of tracking both activity (what you’re doing) and impact (what it’s achieving).
Measurement isn’t just about capturing and crunching numbers; it’s about knowing if you’re making a difference. For leaders and communicators, this means creating a balanced scorecard that blends KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) and OKRs (Objectives and Key Results).
KPIs: Track ongoing performance.
For example:
- Content Production Volume (e.g., number of press releases, blog posts, internal newsletters published)
- Engagement Metrics (e.g., email open rates, social media interactions, intranet visits)
- Media Outreach Efforts (e.g., number of media pitches, journalist interactions, and press briefings conducted)
OKRs: Align objectives with measurable outcomes.
For example:
- Objective: Enhance Employee Engagement → Key Result: Increase internal communication survey satisfaction scores by 10% by March 31.
- Objective: Strengthen Brand Reputation → Key Result: Achieve a 20% increase in positive media sentiment and coverage quality by June 30.
- Objective: Increase Executive Visibility → Key Result: Secure at least four speaking opportunities at high-impact industry events by November 30.
Why it Matters
It’s not enough to just be busy. What are you busy about? KPIs show you’re doing the work; OKRs ensure the work you’re doing is driving meaningful results for your organization.
In my mind, KPIs serve as leading indicators (i.e., a measurable data set that can help predict future outcomes) as to how you’re doing. OKRs, on the other hand, are lagging indicators (i.e., data points that measure past events or outcomes). OKRs can be used to confirm trends that have already been predicted by leading indicators.
The bottom line: Executives prefer OKRs over KPIs because they focus on strategic outcomes rather than just tracking activities. OKRs align communication efforts with business goals, driving impact, innovation, and cross-functional collaboration. They provide flexibility to adapt to changing priorities and create a sense of purpose by connecting day-to-day work to long-term success. Unlike KPIs, which measure ongoing performance, OKRs inspire ambition and ensure accountability across the organization.
Let’s get Practical
Here are some simple steps to get started:
- Define your success metrics upfront—don’t wait until the end of the project. Conducting a Desired Outcomes exercise is a good way to do that.
- For a more holistic picture, use a mix of qualitative and quantitative measures.
- Track progress weekly, monthly or quarterly and adjust course if / as needed.
How It All Works Together
Imagine you’re working with operational leaders to develop a campaign that will improve the company’s brand image around customer experience, which will lead to happier customers who buy more and recommend your company to their friends.
Here’s how ambition, goals, objectives and measurement work together to help you get from here to there.
Ambition: “Reimagine our brand as one of the top leaders in our industry that delivers an exceptional customer experience.”
Goal: “By the end of the year, achieve a top ten (or higher) ranking in industry customer satisfaction surveys by enhancing our brand’s customer experience strategy through three targeted initiatives and engagement programs.”
Objectives:
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- Empower Frontline Teams: By March 31, launch a communication campaign to all frontline employees that promotes customer experience training and achieve a 25% improvement in first-contact resolution rates.
- Enhance Customer Touchpoints: By June 30, implement improvements to at least three key customer touchpoints (e.g., website, support channels, in-store experience) and achieve a 15% increase in positive customer feedback.
- Increase Brand Engagement: By October 1, launch a customer-centric marketing campaign that results in a 20% increase in social media engagement and a 10% boost in brand sentiment scores.
Measure Metrics that Matters:
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- Customer Feedback Metrics: Track Net Promoter Score (NPS) and Customer Satisfaction Score (CSAT) quarterly to monitor progress. Ensure leaders share results with frontline employees.
- Engagement Analytics: Use website analytics, social media metrics and customer interaction data periodically to assess improvements in brand perception and customer experience.
- Employee Performance: Measure training completion rates and monitor customer experience KPIs, like response time and first-contact resolution rates.
When ambition, goals, objectives and measurement align, magic happens. You’re not just working harder—you’re working smarter and making a measurable impact.
Parting Thoughts
Your ambition lights the fire; goals give it direction; objectives fan the flames and measurement ensures the blaze is purposeful, not just pretty to look at.
Remember these Steps
- Define Your Ambition Clearly. Determine your destination. Does it inspire you? Does it align with your company’s or team’s purpose?
- Set SMART Goals: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound.
- Determine Your Objectives: Break your goal down into actionable objectives that your team can tackle today or in the near future. Think of objectives as goals’ little brother; they should also be SMART.
- Measure Metrics that Matters: Balance activity metrics (how much you’re doing) with impact metrics (the difference it’s making).
And Remember… Celebrate the Wins
Don’t wait to celebrate progress. Show your gratitude and enthusiasm for the team’s effort. Even small victories deserve recognition—it builds momentum and motivates everyone.
Leading a team or building a communications campaign?
Mastering this framework is like having a compass and a roadmap, guiding you and your leaders to your desired destination. Start small, stay curious, and remember: progress, not perfection, is where the real magic happens!
Now, what’s your next big ambition?
Share it in the comments—I’d love to hear how you’re turning your vision into reality.
Inspire On!
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I really enjoyed reading your article on productivity and appreciated the clever presentation! We used to work together at Equant years ago. I look forward to reading and learning from your content!