Exempt People Leader: Strategic

While it’s not your responsibility to own or drive another’s career, you do play an essential role in supporting them doing it for themselves. That’s where career conversations come in. Take time to have these future-focused, one-on-one conversations. Prepare for the conversation by reflecting on what you see as the person’s potential. Ask them to share thoughts on where their career is headed. What they want to achieve short- and long-term. Remember, if you don’t know where a person is headed, you can’t help them get there.

Research tells us that 70 percent of learning comes from practice—from on-the-job experience and from completing tasks and assignments that are challenging. About 20 percent comes from feedback, coaching, and mentoring we received from others. And 10 percent is formal instructional activities such as training programs, books, etc. Help others create learning and development plans that include all three.

Most people are motivated by feedback for three reasons. First, it helps them understand how they are doing against their goals, what they are doing well, and what they need to improve. Second, it shows them what they are doing is important and that you’re there to help. Third, if there are negatives, they need to know them as soon as possible. Encourage people to get feedback from multiple sources—including you—on what matters for success in their job.