We can plan to control our actions but not the outcomes of our actions.
When we say that we expect to improve the customer experience by 20% with the CRM implementation, it is mere anticipation. We are likely to have little influence over the outcome of the project. If CRM was implemented for eight months, product line or competition changes might occur. Hence we may have different customers with different expectations too.
During goal setting, we must set goals based on the planned actions, not the outcomes of our actions.
Goals like, a 5% increase in margin, a 10% increase in sales, and a 20% increase in Net Promoter Score are merely anticipated results. We are likely to have little influence over them.
Hence, it is practical to have goals based on the actions we can take for the anticipated outcomes. If we execute the actions per the plan, we will likely get the results expected.
However, just aiming to achieve the expected results can be a mere distraction.
