Goal examples

Setting clear goals can help guide your learning, career development and day-to-day work. The examples on this page show what effective goal statements can look like.

We have deliberately broken them down to clearly identify each key goal element. You are not required to format your goals in the same way but you should aim to include each goal element. We have also provided sample goal tags to show how they can be used.

Once you’ve drafted your goals, review them with your supervisor to make sure they align with your role and priorities.  

For more support: 

• Go to Types of goals to learn about work, learning and career goals  
• Go to What should a good goal statement include to explore the key elements of an effective goal  
• Go to Goal tags to review how to use tags and the selection available 

On this page: 

• Examples of work goals
• Examples of learning goals
• Examples of career goals

Examples of work goals 

Example 1: Improve response times to client inquiries 

• What: My goal is to improve the accuracy and timeliness of my responses to client inquiries 
• Why: To ensure the best possible outcomes for the people of British Columbia
• How: I will do this by sorting the requests I receive each day into categories by content, priority and complexity so that I gain efficiencies when responding
• Measure: I will know I have been successful if I reduce my average response time per request by 10% and increase the average number of client requests I respond to per month by 15%
• Tags: clerical, client service 

Example 2: Increase inclusiveness at work

• What: I will make my workplace more inclusive
• Why: When employees feel as though they belong, retention improves and work productivity increases
• How: I will host an inclusion conversation with my team, using the Meeting in a Box resources provided by the Equity, Diversity & Inclusion Resource Centre
• Tag: diversity and inclusion 

Example 3: Shift to a coaching leadership style 

• What: My goal is to shift to a coaching leadership style
• Why: So that I can bring out the best in my team
• How: I will do this by completing HR Foundations for People Leaders and the Supervising in the BC Public Service (SBCPS) program, signing up for coaching, attending coaching courses through the Learning Centre, and by having ongoing conversations with my team members about their work
• Measure: Achievement will be measured through annual improvement in my 360-degree feedback scores and the extent to which my team members are able to achieve their goals
• Tags: human resources, leadership, talent management 

Example 4: Increase accessibility 

• What: I will improve my comfort with talking about accessibility
• Why: To normalize conversations about accessibility and help grow a culture of disability inclusion
• How: When setting up a meeting with someone for the first time, I will invite them to advise if I could remove any barriers
• Measure: I will know I succeeded when it becomes habit
• Tags: accessibility, diversity and inclusion 

Examples of learning goals 

Example 5: Develop project management competencies 

• What: I will develop my competencies related to project management
• Why: To effectively and responsibly manage a range of projects in current and future roles
• How: I will take Project Foundations and Applied Project Management offered through the Learning Hub
• Measure: I will know I am successful if I complete the courses in the next 6 months and apply my newfound knowledge in existing and future projects
• Tags: collaboration, project management 

Example 6: Develop facilitation skills 

• What: My goal is to develop facilitation skills
• Why: To support future stakeholder engagement
• How: To do this, I will complete the first two Facilitating Results Online courses (FRO 101 & 102) offered through the Learning Hub
• Measure: I will be successful if I complete both courses in the next four to eight months and practice my skills in a work-related environment before year end
• Tags: communication 

Example 7: Strengthen my competency in Sustained Learning and Development 

• What: I will deepen my understanding of the shared history of Indigenous Peoples and British Columbians 
• Why: To meet government commitments to build a meaningful foundation for reconciliation 
• How: By completing at least one course offered by the House of Indigenous Learning every four months (depending on course availability) 
• Measure: I will know I am successful if I complete one course in the next four months and share some of my new knowledge with team members in a team meeting. 
• Tags: reconciliation and decolonization 

Example 8: Develop understanding of how communications work in my organization 

• What: I will set up a monthly check-in with a colleague who works in communications 
• Why: So that I better understand the practices guiding how information is shared in my organization
• How: We will create an informal agenda that allows half the time for my colleague to answer my questions and vice versa
• Measure: I will know I have been successful if my proposal to share my program information within my organization is approved
• Tags: communication, relationship building 

Example 9: Develop accessibility competencies 

• What: I will develop my competencies related to accessibility
• Why: To identify and minimize the impact of barriers on the services I provide the public
• How: I will complete two National AccessAbility Week (NAAW) learning engagements: “Digital Accessibility” and “Working with Co-Workers who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing” and join the Accessibility Community of Practice 
• Measure: I will know I have been successful if I share back my learnings with team members within 4 months of completing the course with examples of how I have applied my work 
• Tags: accessibility 

Examples of career goals 

Example 10: Move to a role focused on facilitating engagement with remote communities

• What: I want to move into a role focused on facilitating engagement with remote communities throughout B.C. 
• Why: To ensure every citizen in B.C. has an opportunity to be heard
• How: I will do this by developing and practicing my facilitation skills with various groups, learning about the relevant interests and issues of remote communities in B.C., and applying for related facilitation positions as they arise
• Measure: I will be successful if I attain a Community Facilitator role within four years and increase the degree of consultation with members in remote communities on future government-related projects
• Tags: collaboration, professional development, reconciliation and decolonization 

Example 11: Move to a role focused on policy creation 

• What: I want to move into a position more focused on policy creation 
• Why: So that I can take advantage of my formal education and interest in the area
• How: I will reach out to managers in policy shops across the BC Public Service to introduce myself, request meetings to discuss my interests, explore opportunities to join their team, and I will apply for policy-related temporary assignments that could help me increase my government-specific experience
• Measure: I will be successful if I have participated in a policy project by end of year and if I have moved into a permanent policy position within three years
• Tags: policy, professional development