What does the science of goal setting tell us? Taking time to create well-defined goals in the beginning, can be a force multiplier to the end result. Here are three tips to help:

Make them aspirational Peak performance happens in the sweet spot between a comfortable goal and a unachievably high goal.

For example, playing football against a team with their legs tied would soon get boring, but playing against a premier league team might feel impossible. However, playing against a well-matched team keeps us engaged and striving to win because it is challenging yet achievable.

The ideal is a goal that stretches your employees slightly outside of their comfort zone without being a strain.

1 2 Make them meaningful Behind every success story, you'll find a strong purpose driving the effort.

We are a global team of over 91,000 dedicated people. We're responsible for meeting the growing energy demand while protecting our climate. Your employees' Top 5 Responsibilities and Individual Goals can become a great reminder if they dedicate the time to draft them well. As a manager, you can also influence how meaningful your employees' work is by helping them connect those dots overtly.

One way in which you can do that is to make a direct link with the company strategy as your employees share their Individual Goals with you.

Click to learn how My Performance connects what we do to Siemens Energy

3 Track their progress Progress creates forward momentum, and according to a rigorous *study of nearly 12,000 employees in several organizations, progress can drive us to have a satisfying work-life and boost our productivity.

Imagine playing a competitive game without knowing your score and whether you are improving.

Now imagine watching your score climb after each round; that s much more motivating. As a manager, actively look for where your employees are making progress and share it with them when you notice it.