Goals, I bet you hear a lot about them in your role. In fact, I know you do because, as a leader, coach or specialist in your field, it is one of the requirements of your job. Without goals, objectives, targets, outcomes whatever it that you call them, its difficult to create focus and provide direction. It’s also tricky to help others grow, develop new capabilities and stretch into their potential.

If you are a leader, goals also help you do those other things expected of you—like encouraging accountability (rather than “holding” people to it), ensuring work gets done, and enabling your people to take on new challenges and expand their impact.

Understanding how your people and others you work with approach goals and deadlines is essential. It will help you support them effectively, set realistic expectations, and create the right conditions for success.

Too many leaders, myself included in the early days of my leadership, make the mistake of thinking that others approach goals as they do. And when your team has no idea what you are advising them to do or doesn’t act on anything you’ve suggested—think of a horse staying put in one spot and not moving toward the watering hole. It’s usually a sign that they don’t see the path clearly, don’t feel ready, or aren’t motivated by the same things that drive you to get to the watering hole.

And this can be frustrating, right? Especially when you know how much the watering hole (the goal, objective or target) will benefit them.

To overcome this frustration and help encourage them to achieve their goals, I like to get curious and see if I can find out what is holding them back. Sometimes, I get lucky and they are able to articulate what it is. Other times, I don’t and to help me and the other person out, I draw on a framework I loosely created off the DISC behavioural styles when I was an Area Manager (many moons ago).

The framework essentially identifies four different goal approaches and how people typically work toward achieving them. Here they are, along with some things to watch out for and tips on how to lead them to achieving their goals:

The Relentless Achiever (High D – Dominance)

Ambitious, results-driven, and thrives under pressure. They set bold goals, push hard, and expect high performance from themselves and others.

Watch out for: Burnout, impatience, and pushing ahead without considering others or potential roadblocks.

How to Lead: Give them the autonomy to chase ambitious goals but help them recognise when to slow down. Reinforce the value of sustainable success over speed alone.

Encourage: Them to use their natural drive and decisiveness to move goals forward efficiently. Be intentional about balancing speed with sustainability and recognising when collaboration strengthens outcomes.

The Deadline Sprinter (High I – Influence)

Energised by urgency, thrives in fast-paced environments and produces their best work when the pressure is on. They are motivated by external factors like deadlines, recognition, and team energy.

Watch out for: Procrastination, last-minute scrambling, and losing focus when the excitement fades.

How to Lead: Create interim milestones to maintain steady progress and keep them engaged by linking goals to recognition or team involvement.

Encourage: Them to use their energy and enthusiasm to create momentum early, not just when the pressure hits. Break work into engaging milestones and find ways to sustain motivation over time.

The Methodical Planner (High C/S – Conscientiousness & Steadiness)

Structured, detail-oriented, and thrives on well-defined processes. They prefer careful planning, gradual progress, and stability when working toward goals.

Watch out for: Over-planning, reluctance to take risks, and frustration with last-minute changes.

How to Lead: Provide clarity, structure, and consistency. Support them in stepping outside their comfort zone by reinforcing that action and adaptability are as valuable as planning.

Encourage: Them to use their natural ability to plan and execute with consistency. Be mindful of when progress matters more than perfection, and challenge themselves to take calculated risks when needed.

The Big-Picture Dreamer (High I/D – Influence & Dominance)

Visionary, creative, and full of ideas. They love setting ambitious goals and exploring new possibilities but may struggle with execution.

Watch out for: Getting distracted by new ideas, losing momentum, and overlooking the practical steps needed to reach the goal.

How to Lead: Help them turn ideas into structured plans by encouraging prioritisation and focus. Pair them with detail-oriented team members to support execution.

Encourage: Them to use their creativity and vision to set bold goals that excite them. Build small habits that keep momentum going and seek structured support when needed to bring ideas to life.

The way to engage, connect and help your people and others you work with achieve their potential is to get to know them. Know how they work, know what motivates them and know the effective and ineffective ways they go about things.

I would add that it’s also helpful to know this about yourself!

I trust this has been helpful in some way, shape, or form.

Until next week, be well and lead well!

Kylie