Goal Setting involve setting a clear objective and ensuring that every participant
is clearly aware of what is expected from him or her, if this objective is to be achieved. This has a couple of advantages in that, assuming that the goal is reasonably challenging, all participant will have to put a substantial effort to achieve that goal. Second, because every member is aware of what is expected of him or her (high role perception), little room is left of inadequate effort going unnoticed. Management by objectives is another name for goal setting.
Note, the goal has to be reasonable, setting a goal to go to Mars (planet) on a shoe string budget and very tight schedule may not improve intensity and persistence from employees and may actually achieve the opposite.
One drawback of goal setting is that implicit learning is impended. This is because it encourage short term gain without intimately understanding the work process. i.e. you may end up with zombie like employees.
Example Usage of setting
onward_outward: I will be setting my alarm for 6am on my day off in order to watch the HCR vote online. Because I can't DVR it. Because Verizon sucks.
jodiii9: is just setting here, text me :)
Chasebald: Balloon boy dad sentenced to 90 days and no book deal for 4 years. setting an example for 'exploitation' of the media. Give me a break.