The Leadership Trap: Why Unclear Goals Fail Teams

In my career, I’ve spoken on three continents about The Power of Proper Goal Setting. Leaders everywhere nod their heads in agreement when I say, “A goal without alignment, resources, and timing isn’t a goal — it’s a wish.” Yet time and again, I’ve seen leaders fall into the trap of setting goals that look bold but are destined to fail.

Let me share two very different examples — one personal, one professional — that highlight how proper goal setting can make or break success.

Hitchhiking Across America: A Stretch Goal That Worked

In August of 1969, I set what some might call a crazy goal: hitchhike from my home in Beltsville, Maryland to Los Angeles, California in five days.

Keep in mind — this was before the Interstate system was complete. Most people thought it was impossible. But I wasn’t setting a wish. I had a strategy:

• I mapped my route carefully.
• I carried signs for each major city along the way.
• I understood timing — weekends were better for catching long rides.
• I was committed to persistence.

Was it risky? Of course. Was it a stretch? Absolutely. But it was also achievable with the right preparation and mindset. Five days later, I arrived in Los Angeles.

That hitchhiking journey taught me a lesson I’ve carried into every boardroom and consulting engagement: proper goals require clarity, strategy, and a plan to execute.

The Telecom Recruiting Story: A Goal Doomed from the Start

Fast-forward to the 1990s. I had just joined a start-up Telecom firm as the new Recruiting Manager. In October, the President made a decision that still makes me shake my head:

He froze all hiring after November 15 until the end of the year.

At the same time, he expected 15 new salespeople to be ready for a January 10 training class.

Here’s the problem:

• We had just graduated a sales class. Our candidate pipeline was empty.
• Experienced candidates usually give two weeks’ notice. That meant we had only one week to recruit.
• These weren’t big-city hires — we needed 15 people across 10 small towns in 2 states.

I approached him with a reasonable solution: push the class back to late January. He refused to change either the freeze or the training date.

The result? Recruiting was set up to fail.

Through sheer effort, we managed to identify and hire 10 new salespeople. But instead of being recognized for pulling off the near-impossible, I had to explain why Recruiting “failed” to hit the goal of 15.

This wasn’t a failure of effort. It was a failure of leadership goal setting.

Leadership Lessons: The Difference Between a Stretch Goal and an Unrealistic Goal

Here’s the contrast:

• My hitchhiking goal was bold, but supported by a strategy and timing. That’s a stretch goal.
• The Telecom President’s goal ignored resources, timing, and process. That was unrealistic, and it undermined the very team trying to deliver.

Leaders must understand that setting impossible goals doesn’t inspire people – it discourages them. The best leaders know how to stretch their teams without breaking them.

The SCAMPS Framework

This is exactly why I created my SCAMPS framework for proper goal setting:

• Specific with a Strategy to Achieve Your Goal
• Challenging
• Attainable
• Measurable
• Public
• Specific End Date

When leaders apply SCAMPS, they avoid the trap of “wishful goals” and set their teams up for success.

The Bottom Line

Proper goal setting isn’t just for personal adventures like hitchhiking across America. It’s a leadership responsibility that determines whether teams succeed or fail.

Stretch your people. Challenge them. But give them goals that are clear, aligned, and achievable with a thoughtful strategy. Otherwise, you risk repeating the Telecom story – and setting your own people up for failure.

EXPECT SUCCESS!

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Bill’s BIO

With 40+ years of Expert Professional Talent Attraction Consultant experience mingled with 26+ years of Expert Career Coaching Experience, Bill is uniquely qualified to Speak, Author, and Consult on Talent Attraction, Career Search, and Proper Goal Setting.

As a Professional Speaker, Bill has spoken to audiences on 3 Continents on “The Power of Proper Goal Setting”.

Bill began recruiting in 1981 in Washington, D.C. as a fee-based recruiter. He started his own business in 1990 and then focused on consulting and recruiting for one company at a time and charging a flat monthly fee. He has been highly successful with this model and worked with companies in multiple industries (Telecom, Construction, Financial Services, Manufacturing – Food and Consumer Products, Management Consulting, Renewable Energy, etc). His most recent recruit was the Chief Operating Officer (COO) for a Restaurant Chain.

During the Pandemic, from May 2020 to May 2022, he wrote 104 consecutive weeks of #TalentAttraction #Tuesday blogs and 104 consecutive weeks of #JobSearch #Friday blogs on his RecruiterGuy.com website. For over 26 years, he has coached hundreds of Professionals in successful Career Searches.

He has written 3 Career Search books. The latest, EXPECT SUCCESS! The Science Of The Over 50 Career Search, received this 5 Star Review – https://readersfavorite.com/book-review/expect-success