SMART Goal and Pygmalion Effect

The class started with yet another lesson in the marketing domain. A new handicraft in the form of a cubicle consisting of various small cubes made of red and blue coloured wires was shown to us. Dr. Mandi showed how this simple looking handicraft can help anyone understand and explain the equations like (a+b)2 and (a+b)3.

The idea behind this was to make us realize how this simple product can be marketed and sold in a real world.

Then, we started with Tower building activity once again.

Our class had already tried to build the same tower in the last two sessions with various conditions like the person constructing the tower being blindfolded and supported by a huge team without any proper strategy but this time we were asked to be SMART about our goal setting and goal achievement and this is where we were made aware of what is SMART goal setting as explained in below figure.

The below pic represents various steps involved in creation of SMART goals.

So, SMART Goal is an observable and measurable end result having one or more achievable objectives to be achieved within a fixed time frame.

Keeping the above definition in mind, we were asked to set values for the following in view of the tower building activity.

1. Goal Set
2. Goal Achieved
3. Goal (History)
4. Potential

While setting values for the above parameters, Dr. Mandi explained us that goal setting for a progressive organization should be based on a spiral curve.

The spiral curve is based on a Fibonacci sequence and it has a property to emanate from a central point getting progressively farther away as it evolves out. This same property should be applied for a progressive organization for better growth and performance.

Performance of any organization is based on goal setting and goal achieved where these two must complement each other.

G.S*G.A =Performance.

Where, G.S =Goal Setting

          G.A=Goal Achieved

Goal set and Goal achieved work in a circular manner where Goal achieved elevates Goal set which in turn impacts positively on Goals achieved and so on. A good manager must be able to play with these two parameters effectively and use them to deliver better performance.

All these perspectives help us to establish a relationship between Goal set, Potential, Goal achieved and Goal (History). 

Goal set > Potential > Goal achieved > Goal History.

This same philosophy was applied in the classroom to build a tower of 28 blocks which was higher than the earlier record of 27. 

And, with this came the explanation of Pygmalion effect.

The Pygmalion effect, or Rosenthal effect, is the phenomenon in which the greater the expectation placed upon people, the better they perform. The effect is named after Pygmalion, a play by George Bernard Shaw.

The Pygmalion effect is a form of self-fulfilling prophecy, and, in this respect, people will internalize their positive labels, and those with positive labels succeed accordingly.