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At OXO, goal setting isn't just a box to check—it's a powerful tool that gives your work meaning and direction. Understanding how to set effective goals will help you succeed and grow in your role.

Why Goals Matter

Goals serve three important purposes:

• Purpose: They give you a clear reason for what you're doing each day
• Direction: They point you toward what's most important
• Structure: They help you organize your efforts and prioritize your time

When your goals connect to your team's goals and OXO's bigger strategy, you can see how your work makes a real difference.

How We Set Goals at OXO

Every goal at OXO reflects our FORCE culture, particularly the values of "Ownership" and "Results." When you set a goal, you're taking ownership of an outcome that will drive real results for the company.

What Makes a Good Goal?

All individual goals at OXO must have these four qualities:

• Clear: Written in simple, straightforward language that anyone can understand. No complicated jargon or vague statements.
• Aligned: Connected to an approved team-level goal and OXO's strategic priorities. Your goal should help your team achieve their goals.
• Measurable: Backed by 1–3 Key Results that clearly show whether you've succeeded or not.
• Actionable: Something you can realistically achieve within the quarter, while still being challenging enough to push you forward.

Remember: A good goal doesn't just describe what you'll do—it defines the impact you'll create.

The 4 Key Components of Every Goal

1. Goal Statement

This is your goal headline—a clear, concise answer to: "What are you trying to achieve?"

Example: "Improve customer onboarding experience"

2. Short Description

A one-sentence explanation that adds context. This tells people why your goal matters, who it affects, or what specific problem it solves.

Example: "Streamline the onboarding process to reduce customer setup time and improve satisfaction scores"

3. Key Results (1–3)

Key Results are the specific, measurable outcomes that will prove you've achieved your goal. Think of them as the evidence of success.

Each Key Result should be:

• Binary or measurable: Either done/not done, or tracked with a specific number, metric, or deadline
• Outcome-focused: Measures the result, not just the activity or effort
• Time-bound: Includes a deadline when possible

Example Key Results:

• Reduce average onboarding time from 5 days to 3 days by end of Q1
• Achieve a customer satisfaction score of 4.5/5 or higher in onboarding surveys
• Launch automated onboarding email sequence by March 15

4. Link to Team Goal

Every individual goal must connect to a team-level goal. This ensures your work directly supports your team's priorities and creates alignment across the organization. When everyone's goals connect, we all move in the same direction.

Example: "This goal supports the Customer Success team's Q1 goal of improving customer retention by 15%"

Getting Started

When it's time to set your goals, work with your manager to ensure they meet all four criteria and connect clearly to your team's objectives. Don't worry if it takes a few tries to get them right—good goal setting is a skill that improves with practice.

The key is to start with impact in mind: What difference do you want to make this quarter? Once you can answer that, the rest of the goal framework will help you get there.