Adding the ELBTG Approach to SMART Goals: Empowering Effective Achievement
Goals incorporating the ELBTG Approach have proven to be highly effective in motivating individuals and driving success. To qualify as ELBTG, a goal must encompass the following key elements:
Embracing the ELBTG Approach to Goal Setting:
Striving for meaningful achievements is a cornerstone of personal growth and success. The ELBTG model enriches the traditional SMART framework by providing a comprehensive goal-setting perspective. To create goals that truly resonate and inspire, they must embody the ELBTG principles:
E – Establishing Clarity: Your goals should be specific and crystal clear, leaving no room for ambiguity. Answer the following questions:
- Who holds responsibility for achieving this goal?
- When is the deadline for its accomplishment?
- What is the precise objective you aim to attain?
- Which requirements or constraints are tied to this goal?
- Where will this goal be realized?
- Why is this goal important and how does it benefit you or others?
L – Leveraging Your Strengths: As you formulate your goals, tap into your unique strengths and capabilities. Craft a goal that challenges you and aligns with your inherent talents and qualities. This synergy empowers you to leverage your skills and seize available opportunities fully.
B – Balancing Objectives: A well-rounded life encompasses various facets, from personal to professional endeavors. Ensure your goal aligns with this broader context, maintaining equilibrium across different dimensions. This approach prevents overemphasizing one area at the expense of others.
T – Targeted Precision: Transform your goal into a precisely targeted aim. Break it down into actionable steps that guide you toward achievement. By setting incremental milestones, you create a roadmap that directs your efforts and ensures steady progress.
G – Goal-Driven Direction: Infuse your goal with purpose and urgency. Express it in a way that evokes action and determination. Align your goal with your long-term aspirations and values, making it a beacon that guides your journey.
The ELBTG framework reinforces the potency of SMART goals by adding a layer of depth and personalization. By integrating these principles, you elevate your goal-setting process, fostering a sense of empowerment, growth, and alignment with your holistic life vision.
| Action Steps | Key Questions | ELBTG Approach |
| Specific | Can you articulate more clearly what you are trying to do? Can you summarize this in one thought? Refine that thought? Can you summarize a bottom line? | Establishing Clarity. Setting realistic clear and detailed goals ensures that they no room for ambiguity. |
| Measurable | How will you know that you attained your goal? Can you quantify or put numbers to your outcome? What affect will your goal have on your personal/professional outcome? | LEVERAGE. Leverage your unique skills, consider how you can capitalize on your abilities and maximize your potential |
| Attainable | Is this goal dependent on someone else? Others? Can you rephrase the goal, so it only depends on you and not others? Are there any things or areas of your life that would prevent you from accomplishing your goal? | BALANCED.A balanced goal encompasses all dimensions of your life—professional, personal, and beyond. |
| Relevant | What would you like to do? Of the areas you mentioned, what things would you like to change most? Is there anything else that is important that you have not shared? | TARGETED. Clearly define the target you are aiming for with your goal. |
| Time-specific | When will you reach this goal? Can you give yourself a time frame/limit? | GOAL-DRIVEN. Goals are most effective when they are time-bound and outcome-oriented. |
By collaboratively establishing an ELBTG approach to goals with the Smart goals, mentors and mentees set the foundation for a successful mentoring relationship. Through this shared vision, both parties can work together effectively to support the mentee’s growth, tackle challenges, and celebrate achievements. The journey of growth begins with the clarity of purpose that well-defined goals provide.