Locke's Goal Theory

Behaviour determined by goals and perceived value for effort

Goal Theory is mainly derived from the work of Locke and another view of motivation in the workplace.  Sometimes this is known as the Theory of Goal Setting.

This theory has the straight forward premise that the goals people seek or the intentions they have play an important part in influencing their behaviour.

Locke built on the premise espoused in the Expectancy Theories that people perceive value in effort and outcomes and this influences behaviour.  He added that these 'expectancies' add emotions and desires.

To this end when looking at motivation in the workplace, Locke's theory can be seen as a tool and technique as much as a theory.

Locke saw that people build on their values and have a set of very personal emotional needs and desires.  He saw these emotional needs and desires as driving goals or specific intentions.  These goals therefore are the means to satisfy these emotional needs and desires.

In order to achieve these goals people behave in a certain way and receive feedback through a variety of mechanisms.  Each behaviour having its own consequences.

How difficult it is to achieve these goals and how committed the person was in the first place to the emotional need and desire with its associated goal determines the level of effort a person will put in.

Locke concluded that people perform better if they have:

• Quantified goals
• Deadlines
• Difficult and challenging goals
• Measurable targets

Rather than:

• No defined performance levels
• No clear goals
• Vague deadlines
• Easy goals

Adding to the work of Locke is Gratton who focuses in the term often heard in business today:

• Stretch Goals

Some companies indeed go as far as defining goals and stretch goals in their planning and performance management systems.  Stretch Goals can often only be achieved with tight cross-functional cooperation and engagement.

Goal Theory has a number of implications for a manager, ranging from the clear articulation of goals and objectives to improved goal acceptance by the involvement of the staff themselves.

Goal Theory is often associated with Management By Objectives (MBO) with MBO being seen as a way of applying Goal Theory although chronologically development was the other way around.

Goal Theory and goal setting is a critical part of most organisations today.  The belief is that the benefits articulated here will result from that approach.

Learn more in the presentation below, including the practical issues that arise from this approach.

Join and use this knowledge and topics such as Management By Objectives to understand how to set goals that motivate and drive better performance and results