Spreading Good Fortune...

Chinese Lion Dance, Chinatown

Angie and I are in San Francisco this week.

I'm presenting at the ISPI (International Society for Performance Improvement) Conference 2010.

I'll be speaking about SMART goals, but really - like this Lion Dancer we saw in Chinatown yesterday - I'm hoping to spread good fortune. I've learned a lot about SMART goals over the past 18 months and we've seen some very powerful results from creating 'red hot' goals.

On Thursday, I'll be doing my dance in front of a room full of this countries best business performance consultants. There, I will pass along much of what I've learned. Hopefully, I'll also pass along a little of the good fortune that's come with the application of that knowledge.

SMART as Hell at ISPI 2010

Do you believe goals are important?

Or do you find them to be overrated?

Do you believe that the SMART goal framework is useful?

Or do you find SMART goals to be frustrating and counterproductive?

Interestingly, a lot of people I meet say 'yes' to all four questions.

For the past 18 months, I've been researching SMART goals. I've created a tool for assessing SMART goals and have identified the qualities of a strong SMART goal. After reviewing more than 600 goals, I have discovered some interesting points:

1. Most business gurus and researchers agree that goals are important.
2. Most use the SMART framework.
3. Most, however, don't agree on what the SMART framework means.
4. Out of 600 goals I've assessed from business, government, and education sectors, less than 10% meet the SMART criteria.
5. Better tools are needed to successfully implement SMART goals.

In April, I'll be presenting my findings and recommendations at the International Society for Performance Improvement's (ISPI) Conference in San Francisco.

Who: Glenn Hughes

What: How smart is SMART? Writing and quantifying SMART goals.

Where: San Francisco, California

When: April 22, 10:30 am to 12:00 noon

More Info: www.ispi.org/ac2010

Many excellent presenters, including my friend Ed Muzio, will be presenting this year.

If you're interested in SMART goals or any other aspect of performance improvement, I recommend you join us in San Franciso.

I hope to see you there!

Upcoming Events: SMART Goal Workshop at ISPI in April

I'll be presenting a 90-minute workshop at the International Society for Performance Improvement's (ISPI) Performance Improvement Conference this April.

The event takes place April 19-22 at the Marriott Marquis in San Francisco.

There will be a lot of great presenters there, so I hope you'll attend.

I'll be discussing why SMART goals can be a great tool, but usually fail.

I'll share strategies and tools for insuring that your goals are SMART as Hell.

The session will be fun and fast-paced. It will change the way you look at SMART goals.

Read more at the ISPI website.