Chrisland DAP, Prof Balogun Tasks Academic Staff to Attach Timeline to Make Their Set Goals Realizable

Director of Academic Planning, Chrisland University, Prof. Shyngle Balogun has tasked lecturers in the institution to devote time to ambitious set goals for performance improvement.

Prof Balogun made this admonition at the University Auditorium during a workshop on Goal Setting And Raising The Bar as an academic staff of the Institution.

According to him, goal setting is a process that starts with careful consideration of what one wants to achieve, and ends with a lot of hard work to actually do it.

While highlighting goal difficulty, timing, contextual and situational factors, personal dispositions, availability of resources and supervision as factors influencing goal setting, he noted that a daily checklist against what one has set to accomplish would go a long way to keep them on track.

The renowned professor of Psychology added that “you must have an action plan and work plan. It’s like what I tell my PhD students, given me first your conceptual frame work, then list what and how you want to go about achieving this. List your weekly activities for me to achieve what at what time. I call this your work plan with which I want to guide you. We would measure your achievement weekly. So far, this has worked well for me and the students, as the average time completion has been 30 months, strike or no strike”.

Also speaking at the event, a visiting Associate Professor of Physical Therapy from Chapman University, United States, Prof. Emmanuel John, charged the lecturers to draw the lines, and radiate intellectualism.

In his words “As staff, you should live by the motto of the Institution. Do not make stumbling blocks an excuse to remain stagnant. You need to come up with innovative solution for achievable goals, and we can have a smart goal when we collaborate.”

While making reference to the book of Proverbs 6 verse 6 to 9, the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Mrs. Chinedum Peace Babalola emphasized on the need for staff members to step up for more productivity by reflecting on the small creatures called Ants.

“If you want to be wise, you have to plan. Some people call it SMART goals, and some people call it SAM goals. Ants have no leader, so be your own leaders. Pick an information here today. If you have 8 to 9 months to go, what do you want to do in those 8 months? How do you want to do them? Yes, there is ASUU strike that may affect some of you that are doing Ph.D. Program, is there any other thing you can do? How do you pursue it? What is your destination in life? Where do you want to be after the end of the year? What is your plan? I have a picture of what i want to be. There’s a place i want to get to and I’ve not gotten there even though I’m a Vice-Chancellor, and a Professor of many years is yet to arrive. So this workshop is for those that have not yet arrived”.

The Registrar, Mr. Samuel Omotoso in his remark noted that the Strength and Weakness in SWOT are internal factors which may affect productivity if they are not taking care of.

He urged staff members to get a mentor who would guide them on how smart goal can be effectively achieved in every scenario.