The Strategy Page: A New Year's Guide to Goal Setting
Marc Emmer
President at Optimize | Keynote Speaker at Vistage Worldwide | Forbes & Inc.com Contributor | Expert Strategy Facilitator
As the confetti settles and 2025 begins, individuals and companies alike are filled with hope for a new year. Yet while personal resolutions often fizzle by February, businesses need to operate in a way in which failure is not an option. The difference is in structure and systems that transform aspirations into results.
Always start with vision
Like individuals, companies must always begin with a long-term vision of who they want to be and where they want to go. More than a corporate wishlist, a vision should serve as a guiding star. While there are no steadfast rules, vision is best captured in a statement that articulates a “destination”.
From vision to execution
Once the big picture is framed, it’s time to break it down into manageable objectives. Many companies are moving toward the Objectives and Key Results (OKR) framework, a system pioneered by Intel and popularized by Google. OKRs ensure alignment across departments and teams, making it clear how every role contributes to overarching goals.
In some operating systems, objectives are stated as “to-dos” that could be checked off by a person in a single afternoon. We aspire to help our clients identify more substantive objectives that are managed by cross-functional teams. Key results, which could include an action item, are more apt to be owned by a single person.
Disciplined teams check in frequently (such as in the case of a project), and OKRs are the script for successful one-to-ones between managers and direct reports. OKRs should be updated quarterly.
The role of KPIs, performance management, and incentives
While OKRs enable accountability, performance-based organizations go much further. As Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) provide ongoing measurement, they require constant maintenance and tinkering. Don’t be afraid to change your KPIs as your priorities change.
Performance management methods are changing rapidly as a result of hybrid work. While many managers resist or even dismiss performance reviews as a practice, every company must have a formal way of assessing and rewarding performance.
Performance management systems provide structure by:
Incentivizing success: Bonuses that are not performance-based become an entitlement. Reward systems tied to performance ensure motivation. Whether it’s bonuses, promotions, or public recognition, incentives reinforce the importance of achieving results.
The corporate calendar: Planning for success
A tool that successful companies use is an annual corporate calendar, complete with milestones for strategy, performance reviews, and budgets.
For example, a calendar in a mid-market company may be populated with milestones such as:
This rhythm not only keeps everyone on track, but instills a culture of accountability. Rinse and repeat every year without fail.
Lessons from New Year’s resolutions: What businesses get right
The data on New Year’s resolutions is sobering. Studies show that only 9% of people feel they’ve achieved their resolutions by year-end. Why? Common pitfalls include vagueness (“I want to get fit”), lack of timelines, and minimal accountability.
In contrast, successful companies thrive because:
Embracing a strategic framework like this doesn’t just ensure resolutions are kept; it turns them into a roadmap for success. Whether you’re a CEO leading a company or an individual planning personal growth, the tools for transformation are at your fingertips.
Let’s make 2025 the year goals evolve from wishful thinking to tangible achievements.
Podcast recommendation: LinkedIn Founder Reid Hoffman
Reid Hoffman is the Founder of LinkedIn, founding member of Paypal, early investor in Airbnb And Facebook.He is the co-host of the ‘Possible’ Podcast and best-selling author of books such as, ‘Masters of Scale’ and ‘Blitzscaling’.
In this conversation, Reid and Steven discuss topics such as, why passion isn’t enough for success, the truth about the PayPal Mafia’s success, why Reid stepped back from LinkedIn, and how to adapt to an AI world.
Video by Marc Emmer – Strategy Brief: Custom GPTs
Podcast recommendation: How to Set Goals & Instill Habits for 2025
The Morning Brew speaks with James Clear, who wrote the book ‘Atomic Habits’, on how to set and accomplish your biggest goals for 2025.
The Strategy Experts
Marc Emmer is President and Chief Strategist & Facilitator at Optimize Inc. He is an author, speaker and consultant recognized as a thought leader throughout North America as an expert in strategic planning.
I help CEOs and Top Executives look forward to Mondays, and help people flourish in life through Positive Intelligence | Vistage Chair & Executive Coach | Speaker | Award-Winning Executive
3wGreat and timely outline of what it takes to executive on a business strategy, Marc Emmer. Drilling down, I think your definition of OKRs and KPIs will be helpful for many. A common misconception is that OKRs replace KPIs. As we know, they are not a replacement, but a different way to elicit accountability, while KPIs are about tracking specific metrics.