Which SMART attribute ensures the objective contributes to the mission's broader aims?

• A. Measurable
• B. Attainable
• C. Time-bound
• D. Relevant

Answer: (D)

Relevant checks whether an objective matters for the big-picture mission. It asks if the goal will actually advance the organization’s priorities and long-term aims. When something is relevant, pursuing it makes sense in the context of the overall strategy, so achieving it moves the organization toward outcomes that matter to its purpose.

While being measurable helps you track progress, and being time-bound adds a deadline, and being attainable ensures feasibility, only relevance guarantees that the objective is aligned with and contributes to the broader mission. For example, in a mission focused on improving community health, a goal to implement a new patient-care protocol within a set timeframe is relevant because it directly supports health outcomes; a goal that merely inflates followers may be measurable and time-bound but wouldn’t necessarily advance the mission unless it ties to healthier outcomes.