Achieve Together Goals

Achieve Together creates opportunities for flexibility and organizational alignment around goal setting. When organizations coordinate and communicate objectives, goals, strategies, and plans to drive success, individuals have clearer expectations, and greater potential to be engaged and performance driven.

What goal setting methods do we use at UC Berkeley?

Given the immense varieties of team strategies at UC Berkeley, goals can be developed in a variety of ways. Please review these considerations and recommended models when deciding how to set the most effective goals for yourself and/or your team members.

  • Some units use the OKR (Outcomes and Key Results) method for structured organizational alignment.

  • Some use SMART criteria (Specific, Measurable, Actionable, Relevant, and Time-Bound) at the individual level and OKRs, KPIs, or other measures at the organizational level. 

  • The University of California system utilizes the SMART criteria.

  • What’s most important in developing individual goals is that they are...

    • Measurable - how will we know when it is accomplished? How will it be measured, through qualitative or quantitative indicators?

    • Actionable - what are the actions the employee will take to make progress on this goal in the agreed upon timeframe? Does the employee have control over the outcome?

    • Tied to organizational priorities

What types of goals should be included in Achieve Together?

One professional development goal:

  • New skills, knowledge, or experiences in support of individual growth

1 - 4 goals of the following types:

  • Key job responsibilities 

  • Special projects or initiatives 

  • Stretch assignments 

  • UCB contribution such as committee service, mentoring, community of practice participation, etc.

Silhouette of a person with their arms in the air standing on top of a mountain

How often do we revisit goals? 

The best goals are set to enable an agile workforce. At any time, employees should have 2-5 goals. Individual goals can be set for any length of time (1 month, 4 months, 2 years, etc.). Here are some ideas on how to review goals with different timeframes:

  • For those with goals lasting 1-4 months, Check-ins create the opportunity to reflect on what/how results were achieved, with future goal planning as the next step.

  • For those with goals lasting over multiple Check-in periods (such as 1-2 years), Check-ins can serve as mile markers on their goal completion journey, focused on what/how results are being achieved through this longer form of planning.

How are goals documented?

Goals should be developed collaboratively between managers and their direct reports. Goals are documented in the Achieve Together Check-in form. 

Goal progress is documented and future goals are planned during Achieve Together Check-in conversations. This discussion should include how you will track goal progress using future 1:1 meetings, and what needs to be accomplished between the current Check-in conversation and the next Check-in in four months.

What if my goals change between Check-ins?

As priorities change, goals may need to be updated. As such, goals can be revisited at any time, in a standard 1:1 meeting. You should keep notes on what has changed, and use the Achieve Together Check-in conversation as your opportunity to update your goals moving forward.

After your Achieve Together Check-in, be sure to schedule your UC Experience Conversation. Check out our webpage linked here for tools and resources!

Visit the Training & Resources page for additional resources.