Ever since my managerial work in fast moving consumer goods market setting smart, measurable and realistic goals has been a part of what I would call performance drivers. And in business the say goes: What gets measured gets done. As a manager and now a coach I have seen numerous cases that support that claim. SMART goals put perspective and focus to daily operations.
Without a doubt setting goals is an art. An art in a sense that if done correctly the path to the goal is visible and clear. An art because I don't believe that goals can be set simply by following rational step by step guides. They can be helpful especially when we are in a known context. But when we are moving out of the box into an unknown and new area if done simply in a rational manner such goals can be also as great of restraint as they are a help in other situations. Another option is to use our intuition and allow also some flexibility.
Now in my life coaching practice I have witnessed cases where rational approach lead to great results and also cases where with such approach a person got stuck in their comfort zone – because specification could only be set from the known world. And cases where people had a series of events that they couldn't possibly plan ahead and yet they were more meaningful for their life path than anything they would initially be able to put down as goals.
From this perspective a role of a coach is also how to stimulate a coachee right brain functions. Some techniques from NLP can do that, listening to a right brain stimulating music, breathing exercises, yoga etc.
The process that works in such manner is: stimulating question + seeking options in incubation mode with the help of right brain stimulating techniques. In incubation process we are looking for an insight – something that exceeds our usual thinking. And these insights are also the valuable goals or start of formulation of new beliefs. Of course the process is not as straightforward as rational goal setting, but on the other hand it can be more accurate than forceful approach.
A couple of weeks ago I have come across to an interesting technique for this process. Well actually a friend of mine gave me massage oil, which works on consolidation of feminine and masculine aspect of my being. Initially I liked only the smell and was not paying attention to other benefits. When I ran out of this oil a couple of weeks ago I contacted the woman, who is mixing the essences. An interesting lady indeed! We chatted and she opened up an additional option for this incubation process. A range of essences with specific deliverables stimulate the incubation process so that a person can get an insight. I have now used this approach with essences as a trial with one of my clients and it helped. The person got an insight to a different perspective in an area that she has been struggling for years.
What I am also seeking with my clients in goal setting is peaceful enthusiasm. Well yes this is an interesting combination of words. When a person is out of the incubation mode and has well articulated goals, reading and seeing those goals must be inspiring and should bring to live feelings of being at peace at the same time as enthusiasted. Peaceful because if there is too much euphoria present, there is a great danger that it is a momentary situation which will not lead forward to disciplined realization of the goal.
So to sum up my point of this writing: when exploring new contexts rational approach to goal setting is not enough and should be used in conjunction with other more right brain functions allowing the incubation time. When the goal is written down peaceful enthusiasm is what I see drives to realization.
Barbara Cukjati PECI
