MR Goals vs. SMART goals.

There exists in the business world the idea of SMART goals. (accepted definition)  Basically this breaks down as: any goal needs to be Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, (sometimes this is replaced with "Relevant", which is better),  and Timely, or more accurately, Time-Bound.  You have likely been on one, or maybe both sides of setting such a goal.

Such a great, simple, little tool to remember the proper way to create a goal, isn't it?  Nice little acronym, powerful direction, good methodology.  But really it is a bit verbose isn't it?  Let's take this little helper apart and distill it to the aqua vitae, shall we.

Specific, and Time-Bound are covered under Measurable, if you think about it.  If a goal is not specific it cannot be measured.  Simply defining the measurements to be used creates it own specificity.  By that same token, is not Time simply a measurement?  Therefore by defining the measurements, we have a goal that is, be default, specific and time-bound.

The other letters of this acronym are even more vexing to me.  Any realistic goal is, by definition, attainable.  Any goal which can be attained, recursively, has to be realistic.  So we can eliminate one of those.  In the case of "Relevant" as the fourth element, this will be instead covered as part of defining the measurements.

This leaves us with either MA goals, which is easily remembered, but sounds like "My goals"; or MR goals.  MR. Goals is your new friend in the fight against vague, unattainable performance standards.  MR. Goals is also as easy to remember as SMART.

So let's then cover all of our bases with our new partner MR goals.  First, define the measurements.  In doing so, you must know what you are attempting to measure (against benchmarks, if possible), who you are measuring, when the measurement (or measurements) will be taken, how they will be taken, (data-analysis, raw numbers, customer satisfaction reports etc.), and why you are taking them.

The why is simultaneously obvious and obscure.  Obviously, you want a way to gauge performance against a goal, set of goals, or benchmark.  Less obviously, you need to know your motivation in selecting these particular goals, for this particular person.  Essentially, ask yourself: "Are these goals the right ones, for this person?"

Next is the acid test of comparing what we want, with what can be done.  No one will give you any form of good performance, if they don't feel the standards they will be held to are unrealistic.  Why would they?  This is really just ensuring you are not de-motivating with what is supposed to be a motivational tool.

It is what it is.

       OK.  See that bit of idiocy up there.  The title.  Worst bit of tautology ever conceived by the English speaking world.  Lets begin our forensic disassembly of this moronic bit of language.  First, if course "it is what it is".  What the hell else could it possibly be.  It goes without saying that this expression goes,... without saying.  It not only is a statement of the painfully obvious, it is also...

       Untrue.  The primary argument people raise against M-theory (its string theory, science stuff, you don't actually need to know anything about it, just play along.)  Anyway, the primary argument against it is that it cannot be proven false.  Therefore, reflexively, it cannot be proven true.  Much like the canned idiocy that is, "it is what it is".  Aside from being obvious and untrue it is also...

       Passive aggressive.  There are ways to express that further action will not help that do not place the blame nowhere in particular.  One might say, "Oh, well, what can you do?"  That phrase places the onus for action on the person hearing it.  Also there is "Que sera, sera."  or in English, "What will be, will be."  This at least places the inevitable in the future where it may or may not be acted on.  But moreover these phrases are used in particular ways, to achieve effect.  "It is what it is" is a phrase used in a host of inappropriate ways.  "Why aren't I getting a raise this year?"  "Well there's no money left in the budget so, it is what it is."  It adds nothing to the conversation except a second.  That is a second you will not get back.  

       A coworker once used that banal idiocy in a conversation with me and I told him, "Stop.  Don't use that moronic phrase, man.  You're better than that."  He agreed.  (Although I did catch him saying it again)  Certain phrases, like this one should be avoided at all costs, because it tells the world they are dealing with an idiot...

       Who is not worth talking to.  There's the silver lining.  I no longer need to wonder if the person I'm talking to is the sort of person who when being asked about the average level of intelligence replies, with no sense of irony, "I think most people are smarter than that."  (actual conversation.)  "Than average"  I said.   "Yes"

"You are saying that most people are smarter than average?"  I condensed.  "Yes"  They replied.  

       But if they had replied with "it is what it is" I would have known them for an idiot without the need for clarification.  (Most people may be smarter than the average level, if there are more profoundly retarded people than geniuses.  But such things are beyond the grasp of the person I was talking to, and not within the scope of the conversation.  Just for clarity's sake).  By the way, I have sworn off ever uttering such ridiculous drivel as that cursed phrase.  The only time I have employed it is here, and it will be the last.