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The folly of stretch goals
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Trade Publication Article
The folly of stretch goals
2012
Overview
When stretch goals seem overwhelming and unattainable, they sap employees' intrinsic motivation. The magnitude of the problem causes people to freeze up, and the extrinsic motivator of money crowds out the intrinsic motivators of learning and growth. In their book The Progress Principle, Teresa Amabile and Steven Kramer build on the same argument and clearly demonstrate how even the smallest, most mundane steps forward can motivate and inspire workers. In the early 1990s, Sears gave a sales quota of $147 per hour to its auto repair staff. Faced with this target the staff overcharged for work and performed unnecessary repairs. Sears' Chairman at the time, Ed Brennan, acknowledged that the stretch goal gave employees a powerful incentive to deceive customers. Focusing on small wins, in combination with process improvement, will drive your organisation forward, without the negative consequences of stretch goals. However, this approach requires a willingness to abandon the 'ready, fire, aim' approach to problem solving.
Publisher
Institute of Management Services
