SMART or stupid?

By Theo Poiesz | October 8, 2015 | 1 min read

It is important to recognize the place that management hypes occupy in the life cycle, because hypes are short-lived, says Theo Poiesz. The SMART concept is one such hype, currently widely used in the care sector.

Conclusions

Managers tend to uncritically embrace management concepts. Love at first sight smothers critical questions.
SMART is more suitable for targets at an operational level; less so, or not at all, for strategic objectives.
The requirement to formulate new ideas in a SMART way, may extinguish enthusiasm and creativity prematurely.
SMART is at odds with leadership. If a manager is more focused on SMART policy, he/she acts more like an accountant than a leader.
There may be valid reasons for choosing strategically on the basis of evidence. After all, not everyone can be a leader. But do not claim leadership when, in reality, it is a matter of followership. Leadership and evidence-based management are too great a contrast for that.

Read the full text of Theo Poiesz's Column on the Dutch website.

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