We explain what the objectives are and what they are for. In addition, other meanings of the term, types of objectives and some examples.
What is a goal?
a goal either purpose is it a goal or ultimate goal towards which actions are directed or the operations of a specific project. Everything we do has an end, a final meaning where we want to get to, which is the sum of the steps taken to achieve it. That is a goal, and our measure of success or failure will generally depend on our ability to achieve it or not.
The objectives They are usually considered before taking actionsince it is convenient to know where we are going before we start walking, that is, we can only determine the best route to success if we know what the objective we have set for ourselves is. In this way, objectives are part of any planning attempt in any area.
Academic research, feasible projects, business plans or military strategies always have in mind the objective set in advance, and therefore seek to determine the most convenient method (faster, safer, more lucrative, etc.) to convert it. In fact. Once one goal is achieved, another will arise later in order to continue the action.
See also: Organizational objectives
Objective and subjective
Another use of the term objective is the one that has to do with objectivity.a word that derives from the name of the lenses of microscopes, scopes and other devices that allow us to see clearly what is normally invisible. In this sense, objective has to do with what is not clouded by external considerations, that is, by reasons that have nothing to do with what is observed.
For example, if a person asks another for their objective opinion regarding how a piece of clothing fits, they are asking for a raw, real opinion, putting aside caution or fear of hurting them with their opinion and simply saying what you think.
The opposite, in that sense, is subjective: that which depends on each person's point of view, their emotions and personal opinions. An objective judgment is not influenced by emotions or feelings; a subjective judgment, on the other hand, is made up of them.
Objective types
Objectives are usually classified in two different ways:
- Depending on the time it takes to do it. The objectives are classified into three, depending on how close their realization is in time:
- Short-term objectives. Those that are very close to being realized or that will take little time to complete.
- Medium-term objectives. Those that cannot be realized immediately, but not in the very distant future either.
- Long-term objectives. Those that we propose for an uncertain future, usually remote, but that guide our present actions.
- According to your perspective. Depending on the elements they focus on, the objectives can be of two types:
- General objectives. Those that are very comprehensive or broadly involve a task.
- Specific objectives. Those who are limited or go to the specific point, to a specific task.
See also: General and specific objectives
Goal Examples
Some examples of medium, short and long-term objectives may be:
- Smoking half as many cigarettes a day (short term)
Smoking half or less of the packs per month (medium term)
Quit smoking (long term)
- Increase weekly website sales (short term)
Increase the client portfolio by double (medium term)
Capture the market and be a leader in the region (long term)
- Jog fifteen minutes every day (short term)
Lose a couple of kilos at the end of the month (medium term)
Stay fit (long term)
Administration Objective
The administration has a single objective: efficiency. This means the best or most convenient handling or management of the resources available for some purpose, so that not only can the proposed goal be achieved, but also that it is done in a definitive, precise and no more costly manner than the essential.
To do this, the administration defines the most suitable structures for the use of available resources, evaluating the entry, exit and control processes available to an organization or a system, whether it is a company, a country or a family.
Other types of objectives
- In organizations. The objectives are the values and purposes that are planned to be achieved in the near future. In marketing science, objectives refer to product innovation in order to encourage sales, increase productivity, and so on. Also at work, we can talk about objectives when we refer to those goals that a professional wants to achieve as such, such as reaching a high position at work or being able to do a doctorate or volunteer work, any fact that adds to his or her resume.
- In learning. They are stages that are completed little by little and prove that the knowledge has been acquired. Teachers usually carry out periodic evaluations to be able to test if all their students are at the same level in learning, if they have all already met that month's objective, for example.
- We also talk about objectives when we refer to shooting practice where you shoot towards them and the purpose is to add experience. This target is set at a certain distance and, respecting this, the shooters practice. For example, the instruction may be to shoot at a target at a distance of about 25 or 30 meters.
- In the military field. An objective is a place or thing that is going to be occupied, having a specific plan to achieve it. In this case, an objective can be to shoot down a plane, occupy an area or rescue someone.
- In the field of optics. We speak of an objective referring to a lens, which functions as an instrument that will be located in the area that points towards an object.
