Reaching for the Stars

Not everyone can be a rocket scientist, astronaut or a science-fiction writer, but with the right opportunities, we can find a shared purpose at work

There’s something fascinating about mankind’s achievements in space exploration, especially if you consider the vision, the goals that were set and the collective effort that went into advancing space programs to where they are today – all in a relatively short period of time.  Whether it was the famous John F. Kennedy speech that challenged Americans to put a man on the moon within 10 years, or the imagination that gave us War of the Worlds and Flash Gordon, it all started with a vision of the future.  And in turn, this translated into the dreams and goals of a generation – uniting people in special ways to achieve a shared purpose.  

Not everyone can be a rocket scientist, astronaut or a science-fiction writer, but with the right opportunities, we can find a shared purpose at work.

Cornerstone conducted an “Employee Attitude” survey in March 2010 which revealed that more than half (53 percent) of working Americans don’t feel they have a clear understanding of how their role contributes to company objectives.  And in this same survey, 82 percent of respondents said they haven’t established their career goals with their supervisors.  

It’s important for everyone to have direction and purpose, especially workforces.  Employers need to recognize the value of sharing organizational goals with their workforce, and how setting employee goals that align with business objectives can have a positive impact on retention, productivity and profitability.  It has been shown that with proper communication, employees will perform better, be motivated to work, will be more satisfied in their job, and ultimately be ready to achieve a high level of performance.  

As many of you know, the goal-setting process has many approaches, but I’ve found that the top-down approach is the most effective.  In this scenario, the organization brings employees together to talk about the strategic initiatives for the upcoming year.  The fanfare of the event, as well as the activities surrounding it, get people excited about what's ahead.  It makes them want to get involved and play a part in making the BIG IDEAS come to life.  

This communication and the activities that follow can stimulate the goal-setting process throughout the organization.  Teams begin to embrace the company’s vision and direction, with a cascading or aligning approach linking people in a common bond of ownership and responsibility to support the organization’s initiatives.  

Once the functional leaders align their teams with the broader business objectives, a sense of belonging takes place where people start to feel they are part of something bigger than themselves.  As the goal-building process starts to trickle down through the ranks, and leaders continue to translate initiatives to the group, employees will begin to believe that they can contribute to the company’s success, that they can make a difference.  

I’ve had the opportunity to take part in this process in multiple organizations, to feel that sense of belonging and to, yes, “drink the Kool-Aid.”  During these times, I felt on top of my game, that I was doing something special.  And I knew I was working with the right people doing the right job.  What a fulfilling and amazing feeling to have the creative juices flowing, the sharing of ideas, seeing people put in more effort.  The rewards are plenty.  

So, join together with others in your organization to establish organizational and individual goals, reach for the stars, strive to exceed expectations, and know that you too can achieve a shared purpose…one goal at a time.

Laura Durando is Manager, Strategic Projects and Organizational Development for Cornerstone OnDemand.  She has over 25 years of business experience and has held executive positions in Talent Management and Organizational Development with multiple organizations.