Getting Results from Your Diversity Program: Tip #2 – Identify Your Goals

Identify your goals and describe how they connect to your organizational objectives. A goal is a statement of a desired end state. It specifies where you want to be at a given point in the diversity initiative, and provides you with a means to evaluate progress. Effective diversity goals should be written using the SMART goal method:

• Specific - The goal is concise and stated in performance terms. 
  
• Measurable - It is easy to determine if the goal has been met. 
  
• Achievable - The goal is realistic and attainable.
  
• Relevant - The goal is tied to organizational performance needs and objectives (i.e., your strategic plan).
  
• Time-Bound - The goal has an identifiable time-frame for completion.

Use the following model to write a diversity SMART goal: "By the end of ______, we will ______, as demonstrated by ______". This ensures the goal is time-bound, measurable, concise and stated in performance terms. For example, “by the end of the first quarter of 2014, we will identify specific measures and metrics that will be used to assess managerial diversity performance, as demonstrated by the inclusion of those metrics in the company's formal performance appraisal system.”

Next Post: October 24, 2013 – Getting Results from Your Diversity Program: Tip #3