Goals need to be co-created

Do you lead a team that’s chasing an ambitious goal?

Who set the goal ? Was it co-created or handed down? It’s a very important difference.

Researchers have found that challenging goals alter the structure of the human brain. A study published in the Journal of Experimental Psychology showed that highly emotional goals increase motivation and cause the brain to perceive obstacles as less significant.

This brain altering power is only true for individuals. The motivation is intrinsic, meaning it comes from within. So, handing down an ambitious goal, or delivering a stirring speech at sales kick off about how big the revenue will be next year, just won’t cut it.

Goals affect performance. We all know that.

As the founder and CEO of AIP, the most ambitious goal I’ve had in recent times is taking a team to ski and explore Greenland. There is so much uncertainty in planning a trip to one of the world's most remote landscapes.

We were lucky with the weather and the conditions. We set our goals as a team, every night in our cabin.

Part of what made this trip so special, is that every single member of the team said this was the best experience of their life.

If you want to drive high performance, goals need to be co-created.