Managers struggle with performance objective setting for 4 main reasons: 

1. Defining the desired outcome 

2. Diagnosing team members' individual starting points 

3. Defining tangible objectives for "soft" performance issues 

4. Understanding what can go wrong in the communication process

SMART Objective Setting for Managers unpacks each of these challenges and sets out a roadmap to substantially improve managers' skills of designing and agreeing effective objectives.  One whole chapter is dedicated to the very throny issue of designing objectives to enhancing soft performance areas.  For example, how a person approaches communicating with others, influencing, etc. rather than the tasks they do.