Question

Read the example below about the sales manager and advertising manager. Then, answer the question below: Goals should be clearly communicated. Company and departmental goals should be communicated to all employees, because they will be responsible for accomplishing those goals. Communicating the company’s goals will help employees understand that they are part of a team effort working together for a common purpose. Usually, they will work harder to achieve goals they understand. Goals should be consistent with each other and with overall company goals. Each department within a business has its own specific goals, but the goals must be coordinated with those of other departments. Assume, for example, that the sales manager sets a goal of increasing sales in a specific area of the country. The advertising manager, however, sets a goal of reducing expenditures in the same area to use the money for a new product introduction that will occur in another part of the country. If advertising is needed to support the sales efforts, the managers have conflicting goals. Department managers must work together so that their goals will complement each other and support the overall company goals.
Imagine your sales goal conflicts with your operations goal.
Answer **How could managers resolve this conflict to make sure both goals support the company’s direction?
Reflection (5 minutes) Answer in complete sentences:
1. Why is it important to communicate goals to all employees?
2. What could happen if company goals are not consistent across departments?
3. Which of the goal-setting characteristics do you think is the hardest for companies to
follow? Why?

Answer 1

How managers could resolve the conflict so both goals support the company’s direction:
- Meet quickly with both department managers and a senior leader (if needed) to clarify the company’s overall priorities and the reasons behind each departmental goal.
- Share data and constraints openly (sales forecasts, production capacity, costs, timing for the new product) so decisions are based on facts rather than assumptions.
- Identify interdependencies and critical trade-offs (for example, whether short-term sales growth or long-term product rollout is higher priority).
- Agree on a single prioritized objective that reflects company strategy, and translate that into complementary departmental targets.
- Negotiate practical compromises (e.g., a phased advertising budget that supports immediate sales in the area while reserving funds for the new product, or a temporary operations staffing adjustment).
- Create an integrated action plan with clear responsibilities, timelines, and shared performance metrics (shared KPIs) so both departments are accountable to the same company goals.
- Pilot the agreed approach in a small area or for a limited time to test assumptions and adjust before full rollout.
- Keep communication channels open and schedule regular reviews to monitor progress and resolve new conflicts quickly.

Reflection (5 minutes) — complete sentences:
1. It is important to communicate goals to all employees because when employees understand the company’s direction and their role in it, they are more motivated, make better decisions, and work together toward the same outcomes.
2. If company goals are not consistent across departments, resources can be wasted, departments may work at cross-purposes, targets will be missed, and employee morale and customer satisfaction can suffer.
3. I think consistency and alignment of goals across departments is the hardest characteristic for companies to follow because departments often have competing priorities, limited shared information, and incentives that reward local rather than company-wide success.