Why Good Teams Actually Achieve Their Goals (Part 1)

A better way to align your goals

The Psychology Behind Goal Setting

Let's be honest about goal setting in organizations: we've all seen the cycle. The enthusiastic kickoff. The carefully documented objectives. The initial energy. And then the slow, predictable decline into business as usual.

This isn't a motivation problem. It's a fundamental misunderstanding of how human psychology actually works in organizational settings.

Most goal-setting approaches like OKRs, KPIs, and project management tools address what teams should accomplish and how to track it. But they completely ignore what happens before tracking begins—the behavioral psychology that determines whether people will sustain effort toward those goals in the first place.

This is why we developed the Aligned Goals System (launching soon)—to address the root causes of goal failure before tracking, coaching, or OKRs even begin. While others focus on asking "What's your goal?" we think it's more important to first ask, "Is this even the right goal in the first place?"

Want to stop watching your strategic initiatives lose momentum? Try our quick motivation diagnostic tool at the end of this article.

The Myth of "Just Set Better Goals"

As someone who is tasked with setting goals, you've likely seen this pattern: team members genuinely agree with goals in planning sessions, then completely fail to prioritize those same goals once implementation begins. This isn't about commitment or work ethic—it's about motivation alignment.

Traditional goal-setting approaches start with organizational needs. The psychological reality is that we need to start with what actually drives human behavior:

• Engagement with the work itself because it's inherently interesting

• Connection to professional values and identity

• Action driven by avoiding guilt or seeking approval

• Pursuit of rewards or avoidance of punishment

The research is clear: the first two create sustainable momentum while the latter two initially drive action but inevitably collapse. This isn't opinion – it's established motivational science documented by researchers like Ryan and Deci in their Self-Determination Theory work.

When your team's quarterly objectives face persistent resistance, examine the current motivational framework and deliberately shift it:

Instead of "do this or else": Connect it to who your team members want to be

• Does not work: "Complete the compliance training by Friday or it affects your performance review"

• Works: "This training reinforces our standards of excellence and professional credibility"

Instead of "you should do this": Focus on growth and learning

• Does not work: "You should improve response times because everyone else is doing it"

• Works: "This process improvement develops valuable problem-solving capabilities"

Understanding the type of motivation driving your goals is the first step in determining whether they're likely to succeed or not. This is a diagnostic approach, not just wishful thinking about "being more motivated."

The Personal Connection Gap

When working on projects, you've noticed the clear pattern: some initiatives get immediate traction while others, well... they kind of disappear. The difference isn't about difficulty or clarity – it's about personal connection.

This happens when a goal aligns with how people see themselves professionally. It transforms "another corporate initiative" into "something that reflects who I am as a professional."

A substantial body of research in self-determination theory and identity-based motivation confirms this isn't just intuition – it's how human psychology operates in organizational contexts. Sheldon and Elliot's research on "self-concordant goals" demonstrates that people achieve goals more successfully when they feel ownership and alignment with those goals.

Goals with this personal connection not only get accomplished more consistently but also generate more creative problem-solving when obstacles arise. This is why traditional OKR approaches often fail despite perfect documentation—they lack this critical alignment.

Here are three evidence-based approaches to build this connection:

1. Connect to professional narrative: Link the goal to each person's professional story

   • Instead of: "Implement the new CRM system by Q3"

   • Try: "This implementation lets us demonstrate our commitment to client-centered approaches"

2. Provide meaningful autonomy: Give choices within constraints

   • Instead of: "Follow these prescribed steps exactly"

   • Try: "Here's the outcome we need—approach it based on your professional expertise"

3. Appeal to professional identity: Frame as expression of team values

   • Instead of: "Marketing needs faster response times"

   • Try: "As professionals who value responsiveness, this is where we set the standard"

These aren't manipulative tactics – they're about authentic alignment between organizational needs and professional identity. Research has demonstrated that people more readily internalize goals when their needs are met.

The Three Psychological Needs That Drive Performance

The science of human motivation isn't particularly mysterious. Research consistently shows that three fundamental psychological needs drive sustainable performance:

1. Choice: Having a real say in how you do your work

2. Growth: Building and using skills that matter to you

3. Connection: Feeling part of something meaningful with others

When goals satisfy these needs, motivation becomes intrinsic. When these needs go unmet, even "high priority" initiatives get displaced by activities that better fulfil these basic psychological requirements.

This framework provides a practical diagnostic for goal alignment:

Leader level:

• Does this approach allow authentic leadership expression?

• Will it leverage and develop leadership strengths?

• Does it create meaningful connections with peers and leadership?

Team level:

• Can individuals shape their approach based on expertise?

• Does each person develop valued capabilities?

• Will this strengthen team cohesion and identity?

Organizational level:

• Is there implementation flexibility that respects context?

• Does this build strategic organizational capabilities?

• Will it enhance meaningful cross-functional relationships?

Successful teams consistently observe that initiatives satisfying these three needs maintain momentum without constant intervention, while those missing these elements require continuous pushing. Remember, what we want is to be working with human psychology rather than against it.

Want to apply these principles systematically? Check out the self-assessment tool at the end of this article.

The Implementation Factors Research Doesn't Cover

Beyond psychological motivation, several practical implementation factors consistently determine goal outcomes. While popular methodologies like OKRs and Balanced Score Card emphasize documentation, they provide almost no guidance on these critical execution factors:

1. Real feedback: Do people know how they're actually doing?

   • Problem sign: "I'm not sure if we're on track or not"

   • Better approach: Regular check-ins focused on learning, not judgment

2. Walking the talk with resources: Is time and money actually going to your "priorities"?

   • Problem sign: "This is our top priority" but it never gets calendar time

   • Better approach: Visible, protected time blocks and resources

3. Right-sized challenges: Is the goal too hard, too easy, or just right?

   • Problem sign: Team members look either stressed or bored when discussing next steps

   • Better approach: Breaking big goals into manageable pieces that stretch without overwhelming

4. Clearing the path: Are obstacles identified and removed?

   • Problem sign: "We can't move forward until Department X does their part"

   • Better approach: Spotting bottlenecks early and actively removing them

These factors rarely appear in popular goal-setting frameworks, but they consistently differentiate between success and failure in real organizational settings. Research on goal-setting theory highlights the importance of considering these mediators and moderators, which can vary significantly across different contexts.

The practical benefit of this approach is shifting the conversation from vague concerns about "commitment" to specific, addressable factors that can be systematically managed.

Beyond Simplistic Goal Frameworks

Traditional goal-setting frameworks like SMART provide useful structure but remain incomplete. They address documentation while overlooking the psychological elements that determine sustained action.

Most tracking and management systems focus on monitoring goals rather than ensuring those goals are designed to trigger sustained psychological engagement in the first place.

After examining goal implementation across several organizations, I've found that enhancing structural elements with motivational dimensions significantly improves outcomes:

Specific + Why it Matters: Not just what to do, but why anyone should care

• Basic version: "Increase satisfaction scores by 10%"

• Better version: "Increase satisfaction by 10%, showing our commitment to excellence and strengthening our position in the market"

Measurable + Visible Progress: Track progress in ways that feel rewarding

• Basic version: "Reduce error rates to below 2%"

• Better version: "Reduce error rates to below 2%, with weekly tracking and celebrations for each improvement milestone"

Achievable + Your Way: Challenging but letting people use their strengths

• Basic version: "Follow the process to reduce cycle time"

• Better version: "Cut cycle time by 20% using approaches that play to your team's strengths"

Relevant + Growth: Connected to both business and professional development

• Basic version: "Complete system migration by Q3"

• Better version: "Lead the migration by Q3, showcasing your leadership skills while developing valuable change management experience"

Time-bound + Momentum: Deadlines that build energy rather than just pressure

• Basic version: "Complete by June 30th"

• Better version: "Implement in stages with milestone celebrations, finishing by June 30th"

This isn't about adding complexity – it's about addressing the complete set of factors that determine whether goals translate into results. The enhanced approach builds in psychological foundations that make execution more likely.

In Part 2, we'll examine specific implementation techniques that make these principles practical in day-to-day leadership.

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Motivation Diagnosis Tool

Want to quickly assess your current goal's motivational foundation? Answer these questions about an important goal you or your team is pursuing:

1. Motivation Check: Why are you/your team really doing this?

• Because it's actually interesting or fun to do

• Because it reflects our values and who we want to be

• Because we'd feel bad or guilty if we didn't do it

• Because of rewards or avoiding negative consequences

2. Personal Connection: Rate 1 (Not at all) to 5 (Completely)

• This goal feels like it's truly ours, not forced on us: ___

• This goal reflects the kind of professionals we want to be: ___

• We would still pursue this goal even without pressure: ___

3. Basic Needs: Does this goal provide:

• Choice (having a real say in how to do it): Yes [ ] Somewhat [ ] No [ ]

• Growth (building valuable skills): Yes [ ] Somewhat [ ] No [ ]

• Connection (working with others in meaningful ways): Yes [ ] Somewhat [ ] No [ ]

4. Ready to Execute? Check all that apply:

• We have a clear way to know if we're making progress

• We've actually set aside time and resources for this goal

• The challenge level feels right—not too easy, not too hard

• We've spotted potential roadblocks and have a plan to handle them

What Your Answers Mean: Goals have the best chance of succeeding when they're driven by interest or values (first two options), feel personally meaningful, meet all three basic needs, and have concrete plans for execution.

In Part 2, we'll get practical. You'll learn specific techniques to turn good intentions into actual results, set challenges that energize rather than overwhelm, make progress visible so motivation doesn't fade, and start implementing these approaches right away. We'll also open access to the Aligned Goal System that makes these principles easy to apply in your day-to-day leadership.

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If you don’t know me, I’m Robert Meza a practitioner who is running a consultancy called Aim For Behavior - I teach courses and work with clients around the world on fun but challenging behavior change projects.

Have a great day, Robert