Contents
“Drifting goals” is a systems archetype that describes when a system fails to meet its goal due to a fundamental flaw in the system, but its operators choose to change the goal instead of addressing the flaw. Because the underlying issue hasn’t been fixed, the system is unlikely to meet its new goal, leading its operators to again adjust the goal, leading to an unsustainable downward spiral.
Example
For an example, consider a sales team that isn’t meeting its revenue goals due to a flawed marketing strategy: the company’s marketing isn’t reaching the right people, who consistently decline to buy. A sales manager unable to see (or unwilling to address) the marketing issue might be tempted to explain the problem away as the result of a temporarily slow economy, and adjust the next quarter’s revenue goals.
Strategies
- Be wary when changing goals within a system, especially if you’ve recently changed them already. Instead, look hard at what corrective actions have been taken (if any) to better meet the goal, and analyze their effectiveness.
- Base goals on data so you can be more confident they’re realistic.