Ago Aims Goals Objectives

Let’s Learn to Use AGOAims, Goals, Objectives

Graeme AllanCavendish Training (UK), Lithuania

© Cavendish Training (UK)

The aim, goal and objective of this lesson is to explore the idea of purpose.

Let’s Learn to Use AGO

Dr Edward de Bono’s New Thinking2

The identification of purpose is one of the most difficult aspects of thinking.



The main idea of the AGO is to focus directly and deliberately on the intentions behind actual or proposed actions.

Identifying reasons alone is the easy and less productive option.



Being able to define objectives helps our thinking in these areas:

Decision-making.

Planning.

Action of any kind that has a distinct purpose, a clear outcome.



AimAim is the intended direction.

GoalGoal is the ultimate destination.

ObjectiveObjective is an identifiable point of achievement along the way.



We can do something out of habit, because everyone else is is doing it,or as a reaction to a situation.

These are because situations.



But there are times when we do something in order to achieve some purpose or objective.

This purpose or objective is a personal choice.



It can help to understand other people’s thinking if we can ‘see’ their objectives.

In certain situations, the words, aims and goals are more appropriate than objectives even if the meaning is similar.



The foundation of this lesson is to encourage the learner to see the value of asking three questions:

What is the aim of the thinking we are doing?

What is the intention of our thinking?

What do we hope to achieve?



When exploring aims, goals and objectives, the C&S should be included in the thinking process:

Is the action of immediate consequence?

Is the action of short-term consequence?

Is the action of medium-term consequence?

Is the action of long-term consequence?



Similarly, the PMI should play its part:

What are the Plus Factors if we take this action?

What are the Minus Factors if we take this action?

What are the Interesting Possibilities if we take this action?



A little more difficult is the requirement to “put oneself in the shoes of another person”, to adopt another point of view, to step outside oneself for a time in order to more effectively consider that person’s or those people’s viewpoint(s).



A further focus of AGO is to direct attention to “purpose” as opposed to reaction to another point of view.

Too often we are guilty of reactive thinking rather than design thinking, the generation of possibilities.

The PMI is an effective tool for dealing with the risks of reactive thinking.



The contention that people tend to act in ways that contributes to the gratification of their personal needs further explains the value of the AGO Thinking Tool.



Setting goals is a function of the autonomous individual, the individual who is motivated to “live”. Needing to ‘know’ but being fearful of ‘knowing’ is a symptom of insecurity.



Learning to “Be” involves a continuous re-evaluation of our needs. That implies the regular resetting of goals for ourselves as well as accepting that others do the same, even if their goals and objectives are different.



The AGO encourages the autonomous thinker to ask:

What are my goals and why am I choosing them?

What are their goals and why are they choosing them?



Teamwork



Different people have different objectives with regard to food.

Do an AGO on the following people:

a restaurant cook.

a grocer.

a food manufacturer.

a dietician.

the government.



A developer who is building a large new shopping centre has the objective of making a profit for his corporation and for himself.

He also has the objective of putting up a shopping centre that will be safe and aesthetically pleasing .

He must have the objective of satisfying the majority of shoppers.



He must have the objective of fitting in with the planning authorities.

In addition, he has the objective of working so well (on time and within the budget) that he will be asked to develop more shopping centres in other places.



If you know exactly what your objectives are, it is often easier to achieve them.



In the same situation or circumstances, people may have different objectives.



On the way to a final objective, there may be a chain of smaller objectives, each one following on from the previous one.



Objectives should be near enough, real enough and possible enough for a person to believe it is quite possible to achieve them.



There may be many objectives but some are more important than others.



We need to accept that the aims, goals and objectives of someone else are rarely exactly the same as ours.



Apply the AGO principles in association with other relevant tools such as PMI, CAF or C&S.



Apply the AGO knowing that, for your self and for others, individual choice is both accepted and respected.



The AGO tool gives definite attention to the aims, goals and objectives of others, without judgement.



Graeme AllanKaunas2010


Dr Edward de Bono’s New Thinking

Ago Aims Goals Objectives

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