C&T Scene: Set goals to learn and grow

The C&T Training and Development program has come to a close.  Thank you to everyone who participated in over 50 classes to enrich your learning and grow your skills.

Soon, your manager will be reaching out to set time aside to discuss performance work goals and objectives as part of the clerical and technical staff performance feedback process.  Have you given thought to how you can utilize your performance discussions to grow your skills?  A goal-setting discussion is also a time for your manager to understand your developmental interests and goals. 

New to Yale?  The Clerical and Technical Performance Review is a process that begins with a goal-setting discussion and weaves in times for you and your manager to connect on your interests and performance throughout the year.

Before you schedule time to meet with your supervisor, take time to prepare yourself:

Prepare yourself: Ask yourself the following:

  • What would I like to improve and why?
  • What does my manager think could benefit my professional development and why might that be important?
  • What career aspirations do I have?
  • What skills am I interested in developing to meet my career aspirations and align with departmental needs?

Set SMART goals: Consider using the SMART method to develop goals that meet your needs. SMART is an acronym that helps clarify achievable goals.  

  • Specific:  is your goal clear and understandable?
  • Measurable:  how will your goal be measured?
  • Achievable:  Is your goal realistic?
  • Relevant:  Is your goal in line with your career aspirations and department needs?
  • Time-bound:  What is the timeframe in which you will be able to achieve your goal?

If your career goal is to expand your Excel skills and ultimately obtain a higher-level position, see the examples below:

Here is an example of a poorly written performance goal:

  • I would like to take on assignments that will expand my analytical skills.

In contrast, here is an example of a SMART performance goal

  • I would like to further develop my analytical skills by adding pivot tables to the monthly budgets I currently do to see totals per spending category.
  • I will do this by enrolling in an advanced Excel class (or LinkedIn Learning) to learn pivot tables, and then starting with June’s monthly budget, I will apply what I have learned by adding pivot tables.   

How goal setting can benefit you:

  • Help provide opportunities and resources for you to grow.
  • Enable developmental opportunities that align with your career goals.
  • Gain tasks that align with your career aspirations, which can lead to doing work you enjoy more.    
  • Provide focus and direction.

Tips to help develop goals:

  • Use the Individual Development Planning worksheet to see where your interest can align with your department’s/university’s interest.
  • Meet with colleagues to experience how they prepare for goal-setting discussions.