Strategic planning

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The most common oversight across government organizations is ignoring the very definition of a Goal.   A well formed Goal must be SMART!  Yes, that's an acronym.  

• Specific & Well Defined - A Goal must be stated in a manner so as to clearly lay out how the organization will know when it is achieved.
• Measurable - The goal must be stated in a manner that allows the organization to track progress toward achievement.
• Achievable & Realistic - Perhaps the largest oversight government organization make.  A goal is not some "pie in the sky" statement (that's a Vision), it is stated such that the organization understands what the end state is.  This is often a delicate balance, but while a Goal should be achievable, it should not be easy.
• Relevant - Your goals must be pertinent to your mission.  If your mission doesn't have clearly defined boundaries and lines of activity/capability, it will be difficult to develop and achieve goals.
• Timed - This is the second most prevalent omission in government strategic plans; there should be a clearly defined timeframe within which the goal should be achieved.