Setting and reaching a goal is not a new or mind-blowing process. You might already be goal-setting in your personal life — and some of you might not even know it. Personal goals can be as micro as “I need to finish my work by 5 pm today so I can go to my daughter’s soccer practice” or as macro as “I need to save $50,000 for the downpayment on a new house.” 

However, imagine if you transitioned the goal setting you make in your daily life and inserted it into your work life. Instead of those “wake up at 4 am to work out” personal goals, your work goals are now “complete two audits by lunch” or “reach 200 sales goal by the end of the quarter.” You have now begun the process of goal-setting within your workplace. 

Goal setting within your organization should be happening as regularly as it is in your personal life. It needs to be integrated into your work process so you can set, track and assess the progress of your goals at a very detailed level. But how can you keep track of these goals you are setting?

Goal management software simplifies your goal tracking process by enabling deadlines, running reports, and keeping tabs on insightful real-time information as the goal is being worked. In addition, these goal-setting software programs help identify areas of improvement and implement corrective action when required, making it indispensable for organizations to achieve timely and high-quality results.

The Difference Between a Task and a Goal

If you have already been working and completing goals in the workplace at a rapid pace but feel like nothing is happening, you might just be completing tasks on your way to your main goal. A task is a specific activity that needs to be completed to achieve a goal. It is a specific action that is completed within a short period. A goal is a broader objective that provides direction and purpose to tasks.

Think back to how I mentioned that I needed to finish work at 5 pm to go to my daughter’s soccer game. The goal is to go to my daughter’s soccer game. I needed to finish emails and two specific content tasks before 5 pm to meet my goal. I had to complete these mini-tasks before closing my computer at 5 pm and walking out the door. 

These tasks are usually smaller and more manageable than goals and are often sequential, meaning they need to be completed in a specific order to achieve the desired outcome. Goals, on the other hand, are more open-ended and can be achieved through multiple paths. In other words, tasks are the specific steps you take to achieve your goals.

How to Set Business Goals

Sitting down and setting business goals is where things can get more complicated. When it comes to your business goals, you want to avoid guessing, and you need to focus on goal setting that is SMART, or: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound. These SMART goals are goals should be:

• Clear and focused
• Have a measurable outcome
• Be realistically achievable
• Be relevant to your business
• Have a deadline for completion

You also need to involve your team in the goal-setting process to ensure everyone is aligned and committed to achieving the goals. For example, if only a few people are working to achieve one specific goal but the others in your organization are not, this goal will be much more difficult to achieve.

To ensure that your entire organization is mindful of the goals you are trying to set and achieve, it is necessary to use goal-setting software to inform, track progress, make adjustments as necessary, and celebrate goals when you reach them. 

The Benefits of Goal-Setting Software

With so many specific departments and people working on different types of goals, it should almost be mandatory to incorporate goal-setting software into your business. Stakeholders often want to know how goals are progressing, and peers need to know what tasks they are working on to further along each goal.

To ensure everyone is working through the same data, using goal-setting software is non-negotiable. Benefits of relying on a goal setting and tracking software include:

• Collaboration
• Accountability
• Transparency
• Goal management
• Tracking

Improved collaboration

Goal-setting software allows teams to work together on shared goals, communicate more effectively, and collaborate in real-time.

Increased accountability

The software helps hold team members accountable for their specific tasks, ensuring everyone is working towards the same goal.

Enhanced transparency

Software makes tracking and reporting your goal progress easier, so everyone inside and outside of the organization can stay informed about progress towards goals.

More efficient goal management

Goal-setting software helps streamline the process of setting, tracking, and managing goals, saving time and resources that can be put toward achieving those goals.

Better performance tracking

The software provides valuable insights into the team and individual performance, helping to identify areas for improvement and adjust strategies accordingly.

The Top Goal-Setting Software for Teams 

There are a decent amount of goal-setting platforms on the market today, and you should try out a couple of different tools before finding the right one for your organization. Here are some of the best goal-setting software on the market right now.

1. Hive

Let’s start with our favorite: Hive Goals. While Hive was built as a project management tool, its goal-setting tool is top-notch. Unlike some other goal-tracking software platforms, Hive allows you to tie your goals to specific projects and tasks, making it easy to see how your progress toward your goals impacts your overall project success.

Hive’s goal-tracking tool is also customizable, so you can tailor it to fit your specific business needs. It offers streamlined tracking and real-time updates, so everyone on your team can see how the goal is progressing and contribute to it. With Hive, you can set SMART goals, track your progress, and achieve your desired outcomes in one platform. The best part is that you can try Hive for free today.

2. Lattice

Lattice offers another way to track your team’s goals: through driving aligned performance using OKRs. Their software allows every team to integrate your company OKRs into your daily routines. They describe it as injecting OKRs into everyday moments like one-on-ones, status updates, and performance check-ins so they continuously guide work rather than collecting dust in a spreadsheet.

3. Cascade

Cascade is built to help your team hit ambitious goals. With this goal-setting software, you can plan, execute, and adapt your strategy all within the platform. It also provides an easy way to connect with your team, say goodbye to spreadsheets and create a plan with a clear and concise direction to move forward with.

4. Trello

Trello is a project management software known for its Kanban boards, effectively tracking your team’s goals. You can use lists and card views to see your projects and tasks. Navigate to Trellos’ template library and find pre-made boards with OKR planning. 

In the first column, you’ll see “Objective” (category) and in each card, within the column, you’ll find a “Key Result” (goal/target). With Trello’s OKR template, your team can easily update their progress periodically.  Trello is an intuitive tool; its no-code automation features help you optimize the time spent on repetitive tasks. Trello has a free version; its paid plans start at $5 per user/month.