Meaningful Goal-setting? … or Ticking Boxes for Compliance?

With schools in full ‘crazy-mode’, February and March are the times I’m working with leadership teams as they try to maintain the positive buzz they started with in January.  

It’s also the time where compliance kicks in with mandatory goal-setting to determine professional growth. 

And without fail, I hear the same questions: 

• “How do we engage people in meaningful goal-setting?” 
• “How do we do this quickly and efficiently?” 
• “How do we make it more than just compliance?” 

Time is tight, emotions are high and people are already tired. 

And if I’m honest… sometimes I leave those conversations thinking, we are missing a golden opportunity to boost wellbeing at work because we are doing things how we have always done them. 

We quickly slip back into old patterns by saying; 

• “Let’s make it measurable.” 
• “Does it align with the plan?” 
• “How does it meet this standard?” 

The problem is this leaves people feeling judged because the conversation is rushed and transactional. 

Instead,  

• What if we had simple skills to have better conversations? 

• What if these conversation could be had in 10min? 

• What if we left these conversations feeling valued, seen and heard? 

Why does this matter? 

When people feel a sense of mattering — when they feel valued and appreciated — motivation lifts. When autonomy, competence and connection are supported, engagement strengthens. When those needs are ignored, people withdraw. Not dramatically. Just quietly. 

So when goal-setting meetings become tick-a-box exercises, we’re not just missing a paperwork opportunity. We’re missing a human one. 

Now, I know people are stretched. Time is tight. Everyone is juggling. 

So here’s one small shift that I’ve seen work to change the tone of a conversation. 

✨ Try This… 

Before you ask, 
- “What are your workplace goals for the year?” 

Ask, 
- “What was your biggest learning from last year?” 
- “In which areas did you grow?” 
- “Why was this important to you?” 
- “How might this support you this year?” 

Watch what happens. 

In my experience, I see shoulders soften, defensiveness drop and engagement rise. The conversation becomes collaborative instead of evaluative. 

To make this even easier for you, I’ve created a NEW RESOURCE. 

It’s a free guide called How to Move Beyond Tick-Box Mentoring.  

It shows you how to turn compliance-heavy conversations into short, structured mentoring conversations that build clarity and confidence — without adding more time to your day. 

You can download it HERE