Assignment: Goal-Setting Theory

Assignment: Goal-Setting Theory

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Assignment: Goal-Setting Theory

Pinder (2008) describes goal-setting theory as “the most powerful and useful model of motivated work behavior extant” (p. 389). Therefore, understanding the principal tenets of this theoretical framework is essential in your future role as an organizational psychology professional. Understanding the relationship between motivational mechanisms and designing achievable goals is fundamental to the practical application of this theoretical model.

Goal setting is common among organizations. However, predicting success in attaining goals can present challenges because there are many factors that can influence goal attainment. Think about factors that might be considered when attempting to explain entirely different results for two workers with nearly identical skills and training. What accounts for one worker’s success and another’s failure in meeting a desired goal?

For this Discussion, select at least two factors that might influence successful attainment of goals by employees. Then think about how assigning goals has been used effectively or ineffectively in your current or previous job.

Note: If you have never worked, think about how assigning goals has been used effectively or ineffectively in your academic studies.

With these thoughts in mind:

Post by Day 3 a brief description of the factors you selected. Then explain how each might influence the successful attainment of goals by employees. Finally, explain how assigning goals has been used effectively or ineffectively in your current or previous job. Support your response with references to goal-setting theory, and current literature.

Goal setting involves the development of an action plan designed to motivate and guide a person or group toward a goal.[1] Goal setting can be guided by goal-setting criteria (or rules) such as SMART criteria.[2] Goal setting is a major component of personal-development and management literature.

Studies by Edwin A. Locke and his colleagues have shown that more specific and ambitious goals lead to more performance improvement than easy or general goals. The goals should be specific, time constrained and difficult. Difficult goals should be set ideally at the 90th percentile of performance assuming that motivation and not ability is limiting attainment of that level of performance.[3] As long as the person accepts the goal, has the ability to attain it, and does not have conflicting goals, there is a positive linear relationship between goal difficulty and task performance.[4]

The theory states that the simplest most direct motivational explanation of why some people perform better than others is because they have different performance goals. The essence of the theory is fourfold. First, difficult specific goals lead to significantly higher performance than easy goals, no goals, or even the setting of an abstract goal such as urging people to do their best. Second, holding ability constant, as this is a theory of motivation, and given that there is goal commitment, the higher the goal the higher the performance. Third, variables such as praise, feedback, or the involvement of people in decision-making only influences behavior to the extent that it leads to the setting of and commitment to a specific difficult goal. Fourth, goal-setting, in addition to affecting the three mechanisms of motivation, namely, choice, effort, and persistence, can also have a cognitive benefit. It can influence choice, effort, and persistence to discover ways to attain the goal