A successful project is one that measurably achieves its stated goal. In order for this to be easy to verify, a stated goal must be SMART – Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time-bound.
“Relevant” is often forgotten. We may succeed at reaching a certain tangible, specific target indicator for a specific goal. But is that relevant? To what?
To a higher goal. Itself relevant to an even higher goal in the hierarchy. And ultimately, to an overarching goal!
I often ask Chief Sustainability Officers “what for”? What’s the bigger goal? What’s the one universal, ultimate, overarching goal all human beings deeply desire to achieve? The one goal we could say all sustainable development projects contribute to achieving.
The answer is often a list including good health and prosperity and happiness and safety and beauty and peace and meaningful work, for all. There’s always “for all”. And there’s always “and”. We can make specific goals of each term in the list, as we have in the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals for 2030. But we still have not described that one common higher goal.
I have some ideas for it. I am sure you do too, dearest reader. Let’s have a Socratic conversation about that! Who wants to start answering the bigger goal question?
Words for Sustainability clarifies one idea, once a month. Because we cannot solve our big world problems with abstractions.
Be part of the clarifying conversation. Comment, ask questions, and share. Together we can help the entire community reach sustainability in record time. Ask here for a concept you want to see clarified in a future post.
