For a goal to be really relevant, it must tie to the broader purpose and goals of the entire organization. Your strategy is going to help drive that. Strategy consists of a desired future state and a definition of how you’re going to get there.

You should break that strategy down into smaller interim goals on that path. Every goal that gets set in the organization should be linked to that broader element of your strategy. How do you do that?

Take your vision and your mission. Look at where you’re going as an organization. Break that down into major themes over the course of the strategic planning period. Break each theme down into actions you’ll have to take to achieve it. Break each action down into subactions until you can set an individual goal for each.

I worked for a lawn and garden company at one point, and I was in the strategic planning group. We said, “We’re no longer going to be ‘just a lawn and garden company.’ We’re going to move into outdoor living.” It was a much broader expansion strategy.

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