Goal Setting Meeting Template - 5 Examples for 2025
This guide provides goal setting meeting templates for various workplace scenarios.
Each template outlines the meeting objectives, a sample agenda, discussion prompts, and a section to document agreed-upon goals.
We also explain the benefits of using structured templates (for consistency, accountability, productivity, and HR record-keeping) and give a beginner-friendly overview of how to use PerformYard software to manage and track goals.
Let’s get started.
Quarterly/Annual Goal Setting Meeting Template
This template can be used to review past performance and progress, acknowledge achievements and challenges, and set new goals for the upcoming period (quarter or year).
Ensure the employee’s goals align with team and company objectives and follow SMART criteria (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound).
At the end of the meeting, list the new goals and details. For example, use a table or form to capture each goal, the owner (responsible person), target metric, and due date:
Regarding the agenda, consider using one or more of the following:
- Introduction & Purpose (5 min): Manager opens with a positive tone, states the meeting purpose (e.g., “review last quarter’s goals and set targets for next quarter”).
- Review Past Goals (10–15 min): Discuss outcomes of the previous period’s goals. Which goals were met or exceeded? Which fell short and why? Celebrate successes and analyze challenges.
- Performance Highlights & Challenges (5–10 min): Employee shares accomplishments they are proud of and any obstacles faced. Manager provides feedback, such as praise for achievements and constructive input on areas needing improvement (with specific examples).
- New Goal Setting (15 min): Collaboratively set new SMART goals for the next quarter/year. Ensure each goal aligns with higher-level team or company goals and addresses development areas. Define clear metrics or targets and deadlines for each goal.
- Support & Resources (5 min): Identify any support needed to achieve the new goals (training, tools, mentorship). Discuss how the manager will help and what the employee needs.
- Conclusion & Next Steps (5 min): Summarize the agreed goals and any action items. Confirm understanding and commitment. Schedule the next check-in or review meeting and encourage the employee to reach out with any questions.
Meanwhile, here are some additional prompts to help drive the discussion:
- “What accomplishments from the last period are you most proud of?”
- “Which goals were hardest to achieve, and what obstacles did you encounter?”
- “What are your key objectives for the next quarter/year, and how do they align with team or company priorities?”
- “How will we measure success for each new goal?”
- “What support or resources will help you reach these goals?”
New Hire Onboarding Goal Setting Meeting Template
This goal-setting meeting is intended to set clear expectations and milestones for an employee’s initial period at the company. It provides the new hire with a structured plan for their first weeks or months. This ensures they integrate smoothly and understand how to contribute effectively from the start.
Consider structuring the template as follows:
Meanwhile, here are some sample agenda items to consider using:
- Welcome & Role Clarity (5 min): Manager welcomes the new hire and clarifies key responsibilities of the role. Outline how the role contributes to team and company goals.
- Initial Performance Expectations (5 min): Discuss what successful onboarding looks like (e.g., completing training modules, mastering certain tasks, meeting early metrics).
- Collaborative Goal Setting (10 min): Set specific short-term goals for the new hire’s first weeks and months. These might include learning milestones, project deliverables, or performance targets. Make sure goals are realistic and challenging yet achievable to build confidence.
- Questions & Resources (5–10 min): Invite the new hire’s questions. Discuss resources available for support – mentors, team members, training programs, documentation, etc. Encourage the new hire to ask for help when needed.
- Agreement on Goals (5 min): Review the agreed onboarding goals and their timeframes (e.g., 30-day goals, 60-day goals, 90-day goals). Ensure the new hire and manager both understand and commit to them.
- Next Steps (5 min): Explain how progress will be tracked (regular one-on-ones or check-ins) and set a date for a follow-up meeting (perhaps at the end of the first 30 days).
Finally, consider using one or more of the following prompts to spark conversation:
- “What are you most eager to achieve in your first few months here?”
- “Do you have all the information and tools you need to get started on these goals?”
- “Which areas do you feel you’ll need the most learning or support in initially?”
- “How do these goals align with what the team is working on?” (Manager can fill in context as needed.)
- “What would success look like for you at the 90-day mark in this role?”
Performance Improvement Plan (PIP) Goal Setting Meeting Template
This meeting is part of a Performance Improvement Plan, and aims to establish clear, achievable goals to help the employee improve their performance.
It focuses on aligning expectations, providing support, and setting a concrete timeline for improvement. This ensures the employee clearly understands what is required to meet performance standards and succeed.
For documentation, consider the following template:
Sample agenda items include:
- Introduction & Purpose (5 min): Manager (and HR representative, if applicable) states the purpose of the meeting–to discuss performance concerns and work together on an improvement plan. Emphasize that the goal is to help the employee succeed, not to punish them.
- Performance Feedback (10 min): Clearly outline the performance gaps or issues. Cite specific examples (e.g., missed deadlines, quality issues, behavior concerns) so the employee understands the context. Maintain a constructive tone and focus on facts (“For example, you missed 3 project deadlines last quarter.”).
- Employee Perspective (5 min): Give the employee an opportunity to respond and share their perspective. There may be underlying reasons or obstacles affecting their performance. Listen for root causes, such as workload issues, unclear expectations, personal challenges, etc.
- Improvement Goals & Plan (15 min): Collaboratively establish a set of improvement goals. These should be specific and attainable targets that address the issues. For example, “Reduce project backlog by 50% within 60 days” or “Improve quality score to at least 90% on the next 3 audits.” Outline what steps the employee will take and what support the manager will provide (training, mentoring, adjusted workload, etc.). Set a clear timeline (e.g., 30-, 60-, or 90-day milestones) and metrics to measure success. It’s crucial that goals are realistic and within the employee’s control.
- Consequences & Support (5 min): Clarify the consequences if improvements are not met by the agreed timeline (for instance, noting that continued underperformance could lead to further action, up to termination). Equally, stress the support available, such as regular check-ins to monitor progress, resources for training, and open lines of communication for questions.
- Agreement & Next Steps (5 min): Review the PIP document or template with the listed goals, timelines, and support actions. Both manager and employee should acknowledge the plan (sometimes a signature is required on a PIP document). Schedule follow-up meetings (e.g., bi-weekly check-ins during the PIP period) to discuss progress. End the meeting on an encouraging note, reinforcing confidence that improvement is achievable with the agreed plan.
To ensure clarity, try using one or more of the following prompts:
- “Do you understand each expectation and why it’s important for the role?”
- “What do you feel has been the biggest barrier to meeting your targets in this area?”
- “What resources or support do you think would help you improve?”
- “Let’s define what success looks like in 30 days and 60 days – what specific outcomes should we see?”
- “Are these improvement goals realistic and clear to you? Do you have any concerns about the timeline or criteria?”
Team Alignment and Collaboration Goal Setting Meeting Template
This goal-setting meeting is designed to align the team on common objectives and enhance collaboration.
By setting shared goals and clarifying each member’s responsibilities, it ensures everyone is working cohesively toward the team’s and the organization’s objectives.
The meeting provides a forum to discuss any misalignments, improve communication, and set collaborative goals that leverage the strengths of all team members.
This example template can be used to organize notes:
Regarding the agenda, consider the following:
- Company/Department Goals Overview (5 min): The team leader (or manager) reiterates the high-level organizational goals or department objectives. This sets the context so everyone knows the “big picture” direction. For example, “This quarter, the company’s focus is on improving customer retention and launching Product X internationally.” Aligning team goals with top-level objectives keeps everyone focused.
- Team Goal Brainstorm & Sharing (15 min): Each team member (or sub-team) briefly shares their key goals or projects for the period. This could be prepared in advance. As each shares, the group notes how these goals contribute to the larger objectives. Discuss overlaps or dependencies between individuals’ goals.
- Identify Alignment & Gaps (10 min): As a group, discuss where goals intersect or support one another. Identify any gaps (important objectives that might be missing) or any conflicting priorities. For example, if two team members have goals that could either conflict or benefit from coordination, highlight that. Decide on any adjustments so that goals complement rather than contradict.
- Set Collaborative Goals (5 min): If applicable, set at least one shared team goal or collaborative project. For instance, a sales and marketing duo might set a joint goal (“Marketing to deliver 100 qualified leads, Sales to convert 20% of them”). Define who is responsible for each part.
- Roles & Responsibilities (5 min): Clarify ownership for each goal. Ensure every goal has a clear owner and that supporting roles are identified. This is where team members commit to their parts and acknowledge support they need from others.
- Documentation & Next Steps (5 min): Document all the goals discussed (individual and team) in a shared place. Confirm any changes made during the meeting. Decide on a timeline for the next alignment review (maybe a mid-quarter check-in or next quarterly meeting). Encourage ongoing communication: team members should update each other on progress during regular team meetings or via your collaboration tools.
Use the following prompts to foster conversation:
- “How do each of our goals contribute to our department’s objectives or the company’s mission?”
- “Where can we collaborate or support each other in reaching these goals?”
- “Do any of our goals overlap or potentially conflict? How can we address that?”
- “Are there any important team goals we haven’t covered yet?”
- “Does everyone feel clear on who is responsible for what, and who might need to work together on certain tasks?”
Leadership Development Goal Setting Meeting Template
This meeting focuses on developing leadership skills and growth opportunities for an individual (or a group).
It aims to identify key leadership competencies to strengthen, set specific development goals, and outline a plan.
The meeting provides a dedicated time to discuss leadership aspirations, opportunities for practice, and the support needed to achieve these goals.
Here is a sample table that can be used for documentation:
To guide the discussion, consider using the following agenda items:
- Career Aspirations Discussion (5 min): The manager or mentor asks the employee about their long-term career goals, especially related to leadership. Does the employee aspire to a team lead, management, or executive role? Understanding their aspirations will guide relevant goal setting.
- Strengths & Areas for Growth (10 min): Discuss the employee’s current leadership strengths (for example, “You communicate vision very clearly to the team”) and areas to improve (perhaps delegation, strategic planning, coaching others, etc.). Use any available feedback or 360-review data to inform this.
- Development Goals Setting (10 min): Set leadership development goals. These might include experiential goals (e.g., “Lead the upcoming project X team to gain team management experience”), skill-building goals (“Complete a leadership training course on effective coaching by end of Q3”), or behavior goals (“Improve active listening in team meetings, as evidenced by feedback from team by next quarter”). Make sure these goals are specific and have a way to measure progress or completion.
- Action Plan & Resources (5 min): For each development goal, outline how the employee will pursue it. Assign any necessary resources: training programs, books to read, a mentor assignment, stretch projects, etc. If the goal is to lead a project, identify which project and set it up. If it’s to improve a skill, schedule the course or provide materials.
- Timeline & Check-ins (5 min): Set a timeline for these development activities. For example, target dates for completing training or starting the project leadership role. Also schedule regular check-ins (perhaps monthly or quarterly) to discuss progress on leadership goals specifically.
- Wrap-Up (5 min): End with encouragement. The manager/mentor should express confidence in the employee’s potential. Summarize the key goals (e.g., “So to recap, your leadership development goals are X, Y, Z with the plans we discussed. We’ll meet again in a month to see how it's going.”). Ensure the employee is motivated and clear on next steps.
And finally, here are additional prompts to keep meeting participants engaged:
- “Where do you see yourself in a couple of years, in terms of leadership or responsibility?”
- “Which leadership skills do you feel most comfortable with, and which would you like to improve?”
- “Is there a project or initiative you’d like to lead to gain more leadership experience?”
- “What support do you need from me or the company to grow in this area? (e.g., mentorship, training, opportunities to lead)”
- “How will we know you’ve grown in this aspect? What indicators or feedback shall we use to measure your progress?”
How to Use PerformYard for Managing and Tracking Goals
PerformYard is a performance management platform that helps you manage goals from start to finish in one place. You can easily set goals and assign them to individuals or teams, then align those goals with broader company objectives so everyone is working toward the same results.
As work progresses, PerformYard makes it simple to track updates and milestones, giving you a clear view of how each goal is advancing. When it’s time for a performance review, goal progress can be pulled directly into review forms for discussion or scoring, ensuring evaluations include achievements along the way.
For managers and HR professionals new to the platform, PerformYard offers peace of mind. You can trust that goals won’t slip through the cracks because everyone’s progress is visible and updates are prompt. You can foster alignment and teamwork by clearly linking individual efforts to organizational success. And when someone asks, “How are we doing on our goals?”, you can confidently answer with data and insights pulled right from PerformYard.
How to Run Goal Setting Meetings - Ideas for 7 Scenarios
Goal Setting Meeting Template - 5 Examples for 2025
