Diary of a Leader: Why Collaborative Goal Setting Drives Real Results for Teams
- Lindsay Sheldrake
- Jan 17
- 4 min read
Updated: Apr 4
Welcome to "Diary of a Leader" - Real Stories, Leadership Lessons, and Personal Growth
Ah, leadership! The thrilling, heart-racing journey of ups, downs, and all the delightful chaos in between.
Welcome to "Diary of a Leader," where I don’t just share the good, the bad, and the downright awkward moments of leadership—I also guide, mentor, and empower you to navigate your own leadership journey with confidence and purpose.
Leadership is more than a role; it’s a responsibility to grow, inspire, and help others reach their potential. So, as I reflect on my lessons learned, my goal is to equip you with the insights and tools to lead with clarity, authenticity, and impact.
And Today, I’m Serving Up a Leadership Lesson About Goals
Let’s start with this: goals are the foundation of progress. They give us direction, purpose, and the drive to achieve more. And as we kick off the new year, many companies are deep into annual planning—mapping out how to make a bigger impact, improve efficiency, and deliver better results.
On the surface, it’s straightforward: set a big goal, break it down into smaller goals, and go after them. But here’s the catch: the way goals are created, communicated, and owned can make or break your team’s success.
Goals Start at the Top—but They Can’t Stay There
In most organizations, goals start at the executive level, trickling down to teams and individuals tasked with achieving them. Ideally, these goals align across every layer of the organization, creating a unified path forward.
But here’s where things get tricky. When goals are set at the top without meaningful input from the people doing the work, it can create a disconnect. Without clarity and buy-in, even the most well-intentioned goals can fall flat.
I’ve experienced this firsthand.
The Question That Sparked a Teamwide Conversation
A few years ago, I was managing a team that had spent two years overhauling our operations. We’d put in the work to create clarity, consistency, and processes that led to better outcomes for everyone involved.
And it worked. Projects were delivered on time, customers were happy, and quality was at an all-time high. But as is often the case in business, “good” wasn’t enough. The owner of the company asked me to find more efficiency in our workflow.
I brought this question to my team leads: “Is there anything else we can do?”
The discussion that followed was electric. Everyone had ideas for leveling up our effectiveness—ways to streamline our work without sacrificing quality. Together, we landed on a goal that felt ambitious yet achievable. The energy in the room was undeniable, and the buy-in was real.
I left that meeting feeling confident about our plan.
And Then Came the Curveball
When I presented our goal to the owner, his response caught me off guard.
“Double it.”
At first, I thought he was joking. But he wasn’t. There was no rationale behind cutting our labor hours in half—he simply believed that aiming higher would push us to do more.
While I’d never been one to shy away from a challenge, this felt different. It wasn’t a goal we’d built together; it was a mandate. Still, I was determined to make it happen. I knew this was a massive mountain to climb.
Ownership Comes From Empowerment
As a leader, I had to present this new goal to my team and rally them around it. But here’s the thing: ownership and accountability only come when the people doing the work are empowered to set their own goals.
Especially when it comes to ambitious targets, belief is everything. If your team doesn’t genuinely believe they can achieve the goal, frustration and burnout will follow. Without that buy-in, it’s not just the goal that suffers—it’s the trust, morale, and cohesion of the team.
The Fallout
Here’s how it played out.
The team worked tirelessly to hit the new target. And we did. But it came at a cost.
Burnout set in. Tensions rose. Quality slipped.
The “win” felt hollow. And when we looked back at what we’d sacrificed to hit the target, it was clear we needed to reset.
We went back to the original goal—the one we’d set together as a team. The difference was night and day. With shared ownership and belief, the team re-engaged, quality returned, and we found our stride again.
The Lesson
Here’s what I’ve learned: big, bold goals can inspire action, but only when they’re built on clarity, collaboration, and trust.
It’s great to aim high, but the people doing the work need to feel empowered to set the goals themselves. When they believe in the goal, they don’t just work harder—they work smarter, with passion and purpose.
Wrapping Up (Because Time is Precious)
Here’s the takeaway: goals are more than numbers on a board. They’re a shared commitment.
As you set your goals for the year, remember to:
Start with clarity. Does everyone understand the “why” behind the goal?
Collaborate with your team. Involve them in the process to build buy-in and accountability.
Focus on belief. If your team doesn’t believe they can achieve the goal, it’s unlikely they’ll succeed.
When goals are co-created, they’re not just something to chase—they’re something your team can own. And that’s where real progress happens.
Catch you next time, fellow leaders-in-training—and remember, leadership isn’t just about setting goals. It’s about climbing the mountain together.
Stay tuned for more reflections and lessons from the trenches of leadership in the next installment of
"Diary of a Leader"
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