Setting goals that matter
07 Jul 2025
How to set goals through PDR conversations
Setting, aligning and reviewing goals are a key part of conversations about performance and help to support both individual growth and the University to deliver its priorities.
Why does it matter?
Goals create clarity of expectations and inform priorities, so colleagues know what they’re delivering and how their work contributes to the University’s success.
PDRs provide a collaborative space to co-create goals that align with Universityuniversity priorities, which will enable us to prepare for delivering M2035.
In our recent Your Voice Matters survey, 18% of respondents said they didn’t have clear work priorities in place and 16% said they weren’t clear how their work made a positive contribution to the University.
Our one-year colleague experience survey also show that where colleagues don’t have clear objectives they report feeling less engaged across a range of measures.
Goals improve performance – How?
- Motivate and change behaviour, focusing on your strengths.
- Focuses your energy and priorities in the right place.
- Relevant goals encourage people to be more innovative.
- Helps keep you focused on achieving the goal.
- Being flexible and adjusting goals along the way helps us adapt whilst still staying on course.
An action from the Your Voice Matters survey is to put together and promote these resources to help you in setting great goals. Access the following content to support your goal setting:
- Learn the importance of goal setting (LinkedIn Learning)
- PDR Conversations and Goal Setting with Julian Skyrme (Youtube)
- Set clear goals and metrics | LinkedIn Learning Explore
Join our ‘Just in Time’ Sessions on Goal Setting:
15 July – 10.00 - 10.45am (online)
17 July – 2.00 - 2.45pm (online)