GOAL ALIGNMENT

On Target

Goal To align individual, team, and organizational goals. Participants will identify and compare individual and organizational expectations of the service team.

Time Required Approximately 45 minutes to 1 hour

Group Size Subgroups of three to five persons each. This activity is best used within an intact service team.

Materials

• One copy of the On Target Worksheet and a pencil for each participant

• Two newsprint sheets and a felt-tipped marker for the facilitator

• Masking tape for posting newsprint sheets

PROCESS

1. Prior to the session, prepare the two newsprint sheets by placing a heading of Individual on one and Organization on the other. Use masking tape to post the sheets.

2. Introduce the session by stating that common goals help teams function better and that support for those goals comes from aligning individual, team, and organizational expectations.

3. Distribute one copy of the worksheet and a pencil to each participant.

4. Ask the participants to think about the two questions and instruct them to record their responses on the worksheet. Allow approximately 5 to 10 minutes to complete the task.

5. Form subgroups of three to five persons each.

6. Invite group members to share their responses with one another and allow approximately 10 minutes for discussion.

7. Using the two prepared newsprint sheets, record several examples each for individual and organization expectations.

8. Facilitate a general discussion by asking the following questions:

• Did members of your subgroup identify similar individual expectations? If so, what kind? If not, what differences were evident?

• Did members of your subgroup identify similar organization expectations? If so, what kind? If not, what differences were evident?

• In general, how close was the fit between the individual expectations and the organizational expectations?

• Were there any general discrepancies between the two sets of expectations? If so, what kind?

• What are some reasons that discrepancies like these occur?

• How do such discrepancies affect the functioning of a service team? Give some examples.

• How can a service team work together to identify team goals that align both individual and organizational expectations?