Career conversations can be incredibly valuable for both you and your employees when done regularly and effectively. You might be surprised to find that some high performers are perfectly content in their current roles and have no interest in climbing the corporate ladder. This could be due to personal reasons or a passion for their craft. For example, subject matter experts in fields like science, engineering, marketing, or accounting often prefer staying focused on their specialty rather than moving into leadership roles.
To understand whether your high performers want to take on more responsibilities, it’s essential to have a career conversation with them. These discussions should be structured and consistent throughout the organization. Inconsistent talent management can lead to perceptions of inequity, particularly in smaller companies where HR departments may be understaffed and focused more on day-to-day tasks than on strategic development.
Unfortunately, career conversations are often overlooked by managers. Ideally, these discussions should happen at least once a year, but twice a year is even better. Employees’ goals can change over time due to personal circumstances, so regular check-ins are key. It’s important that every employee, not just high performers, has these conversations. Understanding their long-term goals helps managers align their current work with their future aspirations, leading to higher engagement and retention.
If you haven’t yet implemented career conversations, your first meeting should focus on understanding whether the employee is interested in expanding their role. Take the time to learn about their values, skills, interests, and overall career goals. Your aim is to understand the whole person, not just their job performance. Prepare questions that encourage self-reflection on where they see themselves in the future. Be patient—some employees may not have immediate answers or may feel uncomfortable, especially if they’ve never had a deep career conversation before. If this happens, resist the urge to fill the silence. Simply say, “Take your time,” and give them space to reflect.
Here are a few questions to guide the conversation:
- Looking back on your career, what has had the most impact on your success and why?
- What part of your work do you love most?
- What challenges you in your role?
- What skills or knowledge would you like to develop?
- If you could design your ideal career, what would it look like? Where would you work? Who would you work with?
- If you were at the peak of your career, fully engaged, what would you be doing?
After the first career conversation, you’ll have a better understanding of whether the employee wants to take on more responsibility or if they’re content where they are. From there, you can create a development plan that supports their professional growth. Some development methods to consider include:
- Job Enrichment: Adding more responsibility or variety to a role to increase motivation.
- Stretch Assignments: Challenging projects that help high-potential employees develop specific skills.
- Mentoring: Pairing employees with a mentor to share industry knowledge and guidance.
- Coaching: Providing leadership coaching to help employees set goals, improve performance, and reach their full potential.
Remember, career conversations are a tool for understanding your employees’ goals and helping them achieve their professional aspirations. By taking the time to partner with your employees in their development, you help them grow to their full potential.
