Most organizations revolve around the manager as controller model but attempts to control people s behavior can cause resentment. As Peter Druker says, A leader s job is to make people s strengths effective and their weaknesses irrelevant. By setting goals so high that only a few can reach them, we limit others. Set a standard and people reach for that, even if they may be capable of more.
Goal setting can limit productivity.
There is a delicate balance between what is just right and what is too far out of reach. The most important part of goal setting is that people, who have to reach the goal, also set them. Often goals are set because a manager wants to force an outcome. People perceive this and don t feel like a part of the process so they don t buy into the end result enough to make it happen. Results depend on people, so it makes sense that people set, buy into and drive the goal setting process.