SMART or not SMART?

SMART or not SMART?

We'll share three examples of individual goals. Are they SMART? Or what's missing?

Go!

Example 1/3 - Partnerships (Sr Director Level)

Goal Title: Establish 5 new employer partnerships in the clean energy sector.Description:Build relationships with regional employers to create high-quality work-based learning opportunities that align with JFF’s Workforce Transformation OKR.Measures of success:

• 5 signed partnership contracts.
• At least 3 partnerships actively launching placements by Q4.

Supports Department OKR: Expanding equitable career pathways in high-growth industries.Time Period: FY26

Next

Example 2/3 - Contracts

Goal Title: Make the contract process faster and smoother. Description: Work with other teams to improve how we handle contracts and make sure they get approved on time. Aim to reduce delays and improve communication with internal partners. Time Period: FY26 Subgoals:

• Review current process.
• Talk to teams about ways to make contracting easier.

Next

Example 2/3 - Contracts (Sr Manager Level)

Goal Title: Make the contract process faster and smoother. Description: Work with other teams to improve how we handle contracts and make sure they get approved on time. Aim to reduce delays and improve communication with internal partners. Time Period: FY26 Subgoals:

• Review current process.
• Talk to teams about ways to make contracting easier.

Next

Example 2/3 - Contracts (Sr Manager Level)A SMARTer way!

Goal Title: Reduce average contract processing time from 15 business days to 10 by end of Q2. Description: Collaborate with program leads to streamline contract review and approval processes, including clearer intake templates and shared tracking in Asana. Measures of success:

• Average contracting time is 10 days, as measured by Asana reports, by end of Q2.

Supports Department OKR: Improving internal operations to increase project agility. Time Period: H1 (first half of the fiscal year) Subgoals:

• Finalize new intake form by December 2025.
• Pilot with 1 Center or Practice team by January 2026.

✅ Why it’s SMART: Specific (processing time), measurable (days), achievable, relevant (operations OKR), and time-bound (March 2026 + milestones).

Next

Example 3/3 - Project Management (Manager Level)

Goal Title: Improve project management across my team. Description: Encourage everyone to use Asana more consistently and keep our project portfolio up to date. Make sure project details are accurate and deadlines are met. Time Period: FY26 Subgoals:

• Remind staff to update projects.

• Review Asana for accuracy on a regular basis.

Next

Example 3/3 - Project Management (Manager Level)A SMARTer way!

Goal Title: Achieve 100% Asana adoption across the team and ensure all projects are current and accurately tracked by end of Q3. Description: Lead a structured rollout of Asana best practices to strengthen project management consistency across my team. Measures of success:

• 100% of the team's active projects created and maintained in Asana by Q3 FY26.

• Portfolio review completed quarterly with no more than 5% outdated or missing project data.

• Department Asana workspace includes clear owners, deadlines, and completion status for all projects.

Supports Department OKR: Enhancing operational efficiency and project visibility. Time Period: FY26 / Custom due date: Oct 2025 - June 2026 Subgoals:

• Conduct two Asana refresher sessions by February 2026.

• Launch monthly quarterly accuracy check by March 2026.

• Report progress in team meetings every other month.

✅ Why it’s SMART: Specific (Asana adoption and portfolio accuracy), measurable (100% use, ≤5% outdated data), achievable (training + quarterly checks), relevant (operations OKR), and time-bound (June 2026 with milestones).

Next

🎉

Great job!

I hope you're feeling a little SMARTer now :)

Try again!

X This goal is not SMART

What’s missing:

• Not specific — doesn’t define what “improve” or “consistent use” means.
• Not measurable — no indicators for adoption or accuracy.

• Not clearly achievable — lacks steps or accountability for how the goal will be met.
• Only loosely relevant — it hints at operations but doesn’t connect to a department goal.
• Not time-bound — “FY26” is too broad with no milestones.

X This goal is SMART

The goal is specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound.

X This goal is not SMART

What’s missing:

• Not specific: “Faster and smoother” is too vague — it doesn’t identify what step or part of the process needs improvement.
• Not measurable: There’s no baseline or target (how much faster? what’s the success metric?).
• Not time-bound: There’s no specific completion date or checkpoint.
• Not structured for accountability: The language is about general intent rather than a defined outcome that can be tracked.

X This goal is not SMART

What’s missing:

• Not specific: “Faster and smoother” is too vague — it doesn’t identify what step or part of the process needs improvement.
• Not measurable: There’s no baseline or target (how much faster? what’s the success metric?).
• Not time-bound: There’s no specific completion date or checkpoint.
• Not structured for accountability: The language is about general intent rather than a defined outcome that can be tracked.