TRAMS vs SMART Goal Setting

I picked up this technique from Sharlyn Lauby of HR Bartender, where instead of approaching goal setting following the reliable SMART acronym (specific, measurable, actionable, responsible, and time bound), you turn it on its head and write goals backwards.

The letters still represent the same concepts, but it does allow one to approach goal setting a little bit differently. Where SMART could be used for goal setting, TRAMS can reframe the approach to goal achieving. Here’s how it might look like –

Time Bound.

Ask: When do we need to have something done? Meaning, what’s our deadline? Often a deadline drives what actions the organization is able to take.

Responsible.

Determine: Who needs to be involved? Those people need to be in the room during the decision making and goal setting process.

Actionable.

Figure Out: What are we trying to accomplish? In addition, this is an opportunity for the organization to ensure that the team has the knowledge, skills, and abilities to get the job done.

Measurable.

Clarify: What’s the expected outcome? Then, the organization should define how they will measure the outcome and where the data will come from.

Specific.

Conclude: Is the goal easy to understand? Everyone on the team needs to be able to talk about the goal and how it will be accomplished.

Depending on your situation, both SMART and TRAMS can be good. Now more than ever, organizations and individuals are going to want a proven goal setting model to help them stay focused. This approach allows users to take a model they already know and flex it to meet their specific needs.