After the accountabilities have been identified, the next step is to determine specific objectives. Objectives are statements of an important and measurable outcome that, when accomplished, will help ensure success for the accountability. The purpose of establishing objectives is to identify a limited number of highly important results that, when achieved, will have a dramatic impact on the overall success of the organization.

After objectives are set, employees should receive feedback on their progress toward attaining the objective. Also, rewards should be allocated to those employees who have reached their objectives. Objectives are clearly important because they help employees guide their efforts toward a specific target.

There are four main reasons why goal setting leads to better performance. First, setting a goal establishes a clear priority and clear focus over other less important tasks. Second, a specific and difficult goal increases effort over and above an easy, vague, or nonexistent goal. Third, setting goals improves persistence because there is a clear target in sight. Finally, and perhaps the most critical reason, a specific and difficult goal forces people to create and implement specific strategies, such as how to allocate time and resources, to reach the goal.