CPM SMART Goal Co-Creation 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A mentee says their goal is to 'become better at public speaking.' What SMART element is most critically missing?
- Relevant
- Measurable (Correct answer)
- Time-bound
- Achievable
Correct answer: Measurable
Without a measurable component, there is no way to track progress or determine when the goal has been achieved.
Question 2: When co-creating a SMART goal, why should the mentor avoid simply dictating the goal to the mentee?
- It takes too much time during sessions
- It violates professional mentoring ethics codes
- Mentee ownership increases commitment and intrinsic motivation (Correct answer)
- Mentors lack subject-matter expertise to prescribe goals
Correct answer: Mentee ownership increases commitment and intrinsic motivation
Co-creation fosters mentee ownership, which directly increases intrinsic motivation and follow-through.
Question 3: A mentee's SMART goal is 'relevant' when it:
- Can be broken into weekly milestones
- Aligns with the mentee's broader career vision and values (Correct answer)
- Has been approved by the mentee's supervisor
- Reflects industry best practices for the field
Correct answer: Aligns with the mentee's broader career vision and values
Relevance in SMART goals means the goal connects meaningfully to the mentee's larger aspirations and values.
Question 4: Which technique best helps a mentor and mentee test whether a goal is truly 'achievable'?
- Comparing the goal to what peers in similar roles have accomplished
- Reviewing the mentee's past performance reviews
- Analyzing the mentee's current resources, skills, and constraints together (Correct answer)
- Setting the goal 20% above the mentee's comfort zone automatically
Correct answer: Analyzing the mentee's current resources, skills, and constraints together
Jointly analyzing current resources and constraints gives an accurate, personalized assessment of achievability.
Question 5: A mentee sets a deadline of 'sometime next year' for their goal. How should the mentor respond in a SMART co-creation session?
- Accept it, since the mentee owns the timeline
- Encourage the mentee to commit to a specific target date (Correct answer)
- Suggest the mentee shorten the timeline to three months
- Document it and revisit at the next annual review
Correct answer: Encourage the mentee to commit to a specific target date
A vague timeline undermines the time-bound element; the mentor should guide the mentee toward a concrete date.
Question 6: During SMART goal co-creation, a mentor notices the mentee's stated goal conflicts with their expressed personal values. The BEST next step is to:
- Proceed with the goal since the mentee chose it
- Flag the conflict and explore alignment through reflective questioning (Correct answer)
- Replace the goal with one that matches the mentee's values
- Defer the conversation to a professional counselor
Correct answer: Flag the conflict and explore alignment through reflective questioning
Reflective questioning helps the mentee surface and resolve value conflicts themselves, preserving their autonomy.
Question 7: Which of the following SMART goal statements is the most complete and well-formed?
- I want to improve my leadership skills significantly.
- I will complete an online leadership certification by December 31 to qualify for a team lead promotion. (Correct answer)
- I will become a better leader with help from my mentor.
- I plan to take some leadership courses when I have time.
Correct answer: I will complete an online leadership certification by December 31 to qualify for a team lead promotion.
This option contains a specific action, measurable outcome, clear deadline, and ties to a relevant career objective.
CPM SMART Goal Co-Creation 2
A mentee says their goal is to 'become better at public speaking.' What SMART element is most critically missing?