Stretch Goals: How to Push Your Employees Without Burning Them Out

Stretch goals help employees enhance their capabilities and grow their confidence. And when employees set great stretch goals, it benefits the whole organization. Companies will equip themselves to promote internally as they encourage employees to hone their abilities. And as teams set goals that challenge them, productivity can rise dramatically.

Stretch goals also engage and motivate employees. For these reasons, leaders who help employees set stretch goals are known for being far more effective than those who don’t. 

In this article, we’ll explore how to help people set stretch goals that push their limits without causing burnout. We’ll also discuss how leaders can prepare themselves to make their efforts a success.

Key Takeaways

• Stretch goals are ambitious goals that help employees grow by asking them to push themselves to new levels. For businesses, stretch goals ask entire teams to perform at a higher level.
• Stretch goals must be implemented correctly so as not to simply overwhelm or discourage employees.
• Experienced HR professionals recommend setting a limited number of stretch goals, avoiding goals that are too difficult, and carefully observing employees for signs of burnout.
• The push, pull, problem-solve method asks leaders to take a 3-part approach to implementing stretch goals: pushing employees toward new limits, pulling people by inspiring them to succeed, and problem-solving when challenges arise during the process.
• Five ways leaders can implement this process are: set clear goals that are aligned with business objectives, be ambitious but also realistic, develop a supportive work culture, prioritize collaboration over competition, and make the most of data and feedback throughout the process.
• Leaders can also support teams by setting a good example, cultivating emotional intelligence, and celebrating success.
• Performance management software can help you implement stretch goals by providing dedicated tools for goals management, instant feedback, people analytics, annual reviews, and 360 degree feedback.

Table of Contents

1. What are Stretch Goals?
2. The Risk of Burnout with Stretch Goals
3. How to Push Your Team Without Burning Them Out
4. How Leaders can Support Teams who are Tackling Stretch Goals
5. How Performance Management Software Can Help
6. Primalogik Software Helps Leaders Implement Stretch Goals

What are Stretch Goals?

Stretch goals are ambitious, challenging objectives that push people to go beyond their comfort zones. You can set stretch goals for individuals, teams, and whole companies.

Stretch goals for a business could include high-level objectives like entering new markets or achieving a 50% revenue increase in a year. For a marketing team, stretch goals could involve growing brand awareness by 40%. For a sales team, they could involve growing the customer base by 45%.

For an individual, a stretch goal could centre on a performance goal, such as successfully managing product design. Or, it could involve teaching a workshop series that allows the company to deploy a new software.

Stretch goals can be both powerful and risky. They give people a platform on which to grow and apply new skills and knowledge. By building confidence and experience, these goals prepare employees for higher-level responsibilities. At the same time, if you take an overly ambitious approach with stretch goals, it can backfire.

The Risk of Burnout with Stretch Goals

Constantly pursuing ambitious targets takes a psychological toll on both individuals and teams. For this reason, it’s important to support employee well-being as your staff begins to pursue more challenging objectives.

3 best practices for supporting employees who are tackling stretch goals

1. According to Microsoft, you shouldn’t set too many stretch goals, as this can cause burnout. Let individuals focus on one stretch goal at a time. And give them a break afterward rather than immediately jumping into the next one.
2. Look for warning signs of burnout, like stress, decreased morale, and productivity drops.
3. Avoid setting unclear or unattainable stretch goals, which can exacerbate the risks of burnout. Sometimes people set stretch goals that they don’t expect to fully achieve, which can actually lower morale.

Now, let’s take a more in-depth look at strategies for effectively deploying stretch goals.

How to Push Your Team Without Burning Them Out

According to Zenger Folkman, to excel in setting stretch goals, a leader must do three things effectively: Push, Pull and Problem-solve.

1. Leaders should push employees to tackle greater challenges. 
2. They should also pull people by inspiring them with a compelling vision and by helping them cultivate self-assurance.
3. Last, leaders should be committed to problem-solving. This means helping employees learn to find more efficient and innovative ways of approaching challenges.

Many leaders know how to push people but haven’t mastered the second two skills. Rather than feeling excited about achieving a goal, employees find themselves just trying to avoid negative repercussions.

With that in mind, let’s take a look at 5 ways leaders can challenge and inspire employees effectively with stretch goals.

1. Set Clear and Aligned Goals

According to Gallup, setting strengths-based goals is a great way to leverage employees’ core skills and aptitudes. That way, they are more likely to be able to rise to the occasion. 

Also, according to McKinsey and Company, you should consider how the goals of different teams, and individuals on those teams, can be mutually supportive.

Of course, stretch goals must also be aligned for organizational and individual success, meaning they are compatible with and support the company’s mission and team capabilities. Creating a set of cascading goals, measured and tracked using performance management software, is a proven way to support achievement of overarching organizational goals.

2. Balance Ambition with Realism

It’s also important to strike the right balance between ambitious and achievable goals. There are several ways to do this:

• Combine stretch goals with smaller, achievable milestones to maintain momentum. Creating a cadence of moderate and ambitious goals will allow employees to replenish their energy before tackling the next big challenge.
• The Niagara Institute emphasises the importance of capitalizing on a recent success. This means setting stretch goals after employees have achieved a milestone or small win. They’ll be feeling energized and ready to tackle something bigger, priming them for success. 
• Set stretch goals, which are SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound).
• Make sure stretch goals align with current performance. If an employee is underperforming, a stretch goal should help them get up to speed rather than far exceeding expectations.
• Deep Patel recommends putting your focus on “game-changer goals.” These goals have the power to transport people to a new role, enhance their status, or help them efficiently achieve all their other objectives. Creating these highly meaningful goals will prepare employees for the next level of success.

Through these practices, you’ll build up employees’ confidence as they take on stretch goals.

3. Foster a Supportive Work Culture

Employees achieve goals within the context of a larger picture: the work environment. For this reason, it’s important to work to promote a culture that is supportive, a culture in which employees have what they need to reach stretch goals.

Here are a few ways this can be done:

• Encourage open communication by checking in every day about how projects are going. During one-on-ones, ask good questions like, “What has been your greatest hurdle this week?” 

• Provide resources to tackle challenges. Connect employees with the tools they’ll need, or introduce them to peers in other departments who can support their work, for instance. 
• Jahna Berry of The Harvard Business Review emphasizes that leaders should guide employees in recognizing and challenging negative self-talk. It’s typical to experience imposter syndrome when tackling a new challenge, but employees need to trust their own ability to figure new things out—that’s probably why you were chosen for the assignment in the first place.
• Recognize and reward effort, not just outcomes. If a project doesn’t go as hoped, acknowledge the work employees put in and discuss what they could do differently next time.

Through these steps, you’ll help employees grow more comfortable with taking smart risks and trying new things. 

4. Emphasize Collaboration over Competition

To reduce pressure on individual employees, you could also make achieving stretch goals a team effort. Talk with each person about who can support their process of goal-achievement. This could include meeting with peers or leaders one or two levels up, direct reports, or even clients who can provide input on their work.

For instance, a direct report could assist with everyday tasks, freeing the employee to focus more attention on a big-picture goal. Or, a higher-level leader could act as a mentor.

5. Leverage Data and Feedback

Regularly track progress toward stretch goals. Seeing the results of their efforts will motivate employees and inform the feedback you share with them. Quantify the percentage of the goal achieved, which can motivate people to continue striving toward it. Evaluate how effectively they’ve completed the steps taken so far. 

Then, adjust goals if they become unrealistic or demotivating. For example, if conditions change or you realize the goal was too ambitious, you can modify it. Work with the employee one-on-one to make any changes, so they’ll still feel a strong sense of ownership over the goal.

How Leaders can Support Teams who are Tackling Stretch Goals

Leaders can support the process of achieving team goals in three main ways. 

1. Lead by Example

First, leaders can model resilience and adaptability in how they strive to achieve their own goals. During team meetings, share updates on progress toward these goals. Also mention any challenges you faced, how you felt as a result, and what you’ve done to overcome them. As people see your process—and realize you face your own frustrations—they’ll feel more confident in their own ability to meet the challenge successfully.

2. Cultivate Emotional Intelligence

Emotional intelligence always plays a crucial role in understanding team dynamics. Becoming more attuned to how others are feeling—and what influences their emotions—will help you better support them. When you notice someone struggling with a particular challenge, check in with them about it and share the guidance and encouragement that fits their needs. 

3. Celebrating Progress

According to Dima Raketa of Forbes, leaders can help employees feel comfortable with being uncomfortable’ by fostering a sense of psychological safety. Let them know that it’s okay to make mistakes. When things don’t go as expected, talk with them in a supportive, encouraging way about how to correct course. And when they achieve even small wins, celebrate their progress. You could even set manager goals related to how effectively these types of gestures are being put into place. 

How Performance Management Software Can Help

Performance management software is designed to help your employees perform better and your organization thrive. A complete suite includes several functions, each of which can play a role in supporting the implementation of stretch goals.

H3 Goal Management Software

As mentioned above, a dedicated goals management software tool can centralize goal-setting efforts for maximum clarity and alignment. Leaders can calibrate goals of individuals, teams, and the organization as they review them on such platforms. 

Primalogik’s goals management software allows you to easily set and track goals for individuals and entire teams. It also allows you to monitor progress toward goals in real time. You can see the percentage of goals achieved and specific steps completed. As employees reach key milestones, you can celebrate them as a team to keep morale high. Or, if you notice an issue, you can correct it before it grows larger.

H3 People Analytics Software

Through people analytics, you can also identify potential bottlenecks or team stress. For example, a dedicated people analytics tool can show whether employees tend to put off certain tasks. Equipped with this knowledge, you can determine whether they need additional support or encouragement to complete these tasks in a timely manner.

H3 Employee feedback 

Performance management software also supports the delivery of regular feedback, through real-time employee feedback tools, performance reviews and 360 review software. These can aid in goal recalibration, letting you easily adapt goals as circumstances change. In fact, performance appraisals are a great starting point for creating SMART goals.

Primalogik Software Helps Leaders Implement Stretch Goals

As leaders throughout your organization help employees set great stretch goals, your whole company will reap the benefits. Their efforts will guide individuals and teams to enhance their capabilities by pushing their own limits. And as you align their stretch goals, you’ll collectively accomplish things that may once have seemed impossible.

At Primalogik, we believe that happy employees make for successful companies. Let us help you implement effective stretch goals using our dedicated goals management software. Book a free demo today!