It’s time to focus on what you want to achieve and set your goals for the 2023-2024 performance year. Goals need to be entered by the end of May as part of the STEP Define Criteria stage.

Goals serve as a guide from where we are to where we want to be. Studies have shown that those with goals are 10 times more likely to be successful than those without. One well-known, proven approach to goal setting — the SMART goals framework — can help you do just that. The SMART acronym stands for:

• Specific – What do I want to do and why? Providing detailed clarity around what you want to accomplish allows you to stay focused and increases the likelihood you will reach your goal.
• Measurable – How will I know I’m successful? Create goal measures that allow you to track progress and celebrate growth.
• Attainable – Can I achieve this goal? Goals should be realistic and possible based on where you are today.
• Relevant – How is this connected to my, team, department and/or UCOP goals? Connecting a goal to personal and organizational benefit keeps you engaged in accomplishing it.
• Time-bound – When exactly do I want to accomplish it? Do not set a date too close where you don’t have time to complete it or so far away that you never even get started.

A simple phrase to use is: By (completion date), I will (goal) as measured by (how you will accomplish and/or track that goal). Remember, goals in STEP can be quarterly, annual or multi-year. They can be modified or changed at any check-in.

SMART goal examples

• Quarterly: By January 2021, I will respond to all customer service requests within 24 hours as measured by a quarterly review of email requests.
• Annually: By March 2021, I will track feedback from clients by implementing a customer service survey.
• Multi-year: By January 2022, I will increase client feedback 50% by tracking the response rate and increasing the visibility of the survey.

Learn more and get support

Check out the resources on the STEP Learning resources page.

• Watch the 5-minute Establish SMART goals LinkedIn Learning video.
• Watch the Define Criteria sections 2.4-2.6 in the UCOP STEP Training for Employees. This is the compilation of videos from the year one training where you can self-select any section to watch.
• For help on how to enter goals in ePerformance:
  •   Remember to select the 2023/24 document since you will see two sets of documents as we are currently finishing up the 2022/23 performance cycle.
  •   Refer to pages 4-7 of the STEP ePerformance reference guide.
  •   Watch these short videos:
  •   Define Criteria for Managers: https://youtu.be/HPHYCgy50ZE
  •   Define Criteria for Employees: https://youtu.be/3JJJtIvDkko

Questions or need hands-on support? Contact your HR business partner or STEP@ucop.edu.

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