It’s the most un-matured stage of my blog life, where I thought this topic is of utmost importance when we see around team management is the most appropriate skill required to manage not only one’s team but also the career of your team members. While career discussions are primarily a self-motivated effort by employees, as a manager you should assume continuous responsibility for guiding your direct reports toward success, and in line to make your organisation a great place to work. I feel that each and every one of us at some point of time really aspire to work in an organisation which can be termed as a great place to work.
Career discussion conversations revolve mostly around the following,
Assessing one’s strengths and development areas
Companies typically provide employees with assessment tools which help gauge one’s current strengths and growth areas. The most common assessments include the following, 360-degree reviews, Performance appraisals, Personality tests, Self-assessments and, Skill profiling assessment. In this part, the employee and manager jointly evaluate performance. Focus should be always on making your contribution count and also work towards readiness for the next level of job opportunities.
Evaluating Developmental Goals
Development goals are the most important step, wherein the Manager and employee discuss and prioritize skills gaps concerning employee’s development goals. Ultimate aim of everyone should be to formulate a long term career potential with the help of development goals at each and every step of one’s career ladder.
Identifying Developmental Opportunities
Over here we see a mix of formal training along with clear focus on developing the weaker area with the help of existing strengths. Manager and employee identify development solutions, such as training, mentoring, rotation programs, etc. We need to double check that the employees are considering a realistic timeframe for accomplishing the developmental goals.
Creating Action Steps and Timeline
Without timelines, we cannot even imagine getting even closer to our set goals and development plans. Manager and employee select most relevant development activities and commit to a development timeline.
A step by step approach to be on track:
- Offering constructive feedback regarding developmental strengths and opportunities to the employees by the manager is of utmost importance
- Suggesting development options that might be unfamiliar to the employee, as that’s the most important card in the pack
- Allocate time in the employee’s workload, so that s/he can engage in development opportunities
- Scheduling timely catch-up meetings to discuss progress and any necessary amendments.
Many a times we can also merge the career discussions sessions with the yearly / half yearly performance evaluation process as the case may be existing in the organisation you are working in. That’s actually the perfect way to analyse the performance and put it in line with the development plans of the employees. Also this helps the manager and the employee to stay connected on a timely basis, and also a correct way to tap the potential in an employee.
YES, we can even see a new potential that can be tapped by the manager which not only helps to build a career for the employee but also it is an affirmative way to bind the employees with the organisation.
This in turn, not only increases the retention percentage but eventually makes the organisation a “Great Place to Work”
A disclaimer to the above note will be, this is not only way to make the organisation a great place to work, but I certainly feel and believe that sound career discussions and development plan with timely guidance and support of the manager will definitely help the organisation a great place to work.
Rima Hira
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