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Locke and Latham’s five principles
How can locke and latham’s five principles support strategic choice or positioning?
Contents
Professors Edwin Locke (Maryland University) and Gary Latham (University of Toronto) believed that there are five basic principles for setting goals and that the...
Locke and Latham’s practical goal-setting framework identifies five conditions that support performance: clarity, challenge, commitment, feedback and appropriate treatment of task complexity. Goals influence attention and effort, but they work within a wider system of capability, resources, ethics and competing demands.
When to use it
Use the principles when setting, reviewing or recovering an individual or team goal, especially where a vague target or weak ownership is limiting progress.
Origins
Edwin Locke developed goal-setting theory through research showing that specific, difficult goals often outperform vague encouragement when ability and commitment are present. Gary Latham extended the work in organisational settings. Their joint programme synthesised hundreds of studies; the five principles are a practical condensation rather than the whole theory.
What it is
- Clarity
- Challenge
- Commitment
- Feedback
- Task complexity
Locke and Latham’s goal-setting principles
Select an element to see its explanation while keeping the complete structure visible.
Clarity
Goals should be specific and unambiguous.
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