As the leader, your job is to push the goals forward, whether you created them or they came from higher up in the organization.

The challenge comes from what your team needs and expects.

It would be typical that your needs for revenue and customer growth would end up working your people harder than they can accept. There’s a gap. So what do you do?

Well, you start by realizing that there is flexibility on both sides. The aggressive targets usually have different levels: wishful thinking, realistic, and safety net. If you’re inheriting these objectives from someone else, then it’s good to have the discussion about what they represent. Often new companies will think they can solve every problem in a single year, while government agencies look to just continue their mission forever without rocking the boat.

If you’re developing the goals yourself (or with a small leadership team), then you have to set the expectations for which level you’re talking about. The safety net means that if we don’t achieve it, we’re going to be in serious trouble. The realistic level attempts to build upon what the team, market and partners can actually do. And wishful thinking is driven by the scenario we’d love to have happen if everything goes right.

Don’t expect employees to get too excited about the safety net level. They appreciate the stability, of course, but it tends to be just “more of the same.”

Likewise, don’t go out and commit a 30 year mortgage based on wishful thinking. You might be able to pull off parts of the plan, but everything going right is unlikely.

Then get your ducks lined up to deliver as best you can!