In my experience, the best leaders are crystal clear about outcomes and focus their energies on achieving them. They’ll communicate goals and objectives to steer and inspire their teams but they don’t sweat the deliverables.
This is how I think about them:
A goal describes the broad direction to achieve an outcome
e.g. “Cater for a memorable birthday party”
An outcome succinctly describes the desired change or impact.
e.g. “Happy memories; full stomachs”
An objective makes goals specific, measurable and time-bound
e.g. “Sandwiches for 20 party people that everyone can enjoy”
A deliverable is a defined output that (may) achieve an objective or goal
e.g. “Party sandwiches”
Update: I co-created a workshop with the wonderful Emily Webber called Five Questions to Measure Success. It’s a tool for teams and leaders wanting to describe and measure outcomes.