Tips for Regular Employee Growth Check-Ins

𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝗔𝗿𝗲 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗢𝗻𝗲-𝗼𝗻-𝗢𝗻𝗲𝘀? . . . 💫When you become a manager or leader, your responsibility shifts. Your role isn’t to maximize the potential for the work; it’s to maximize the potential of those around you.   💫Having one-on-one meetings is an excellent chance to have routine discussions about professional growth, and if conducted effectively, these regular check-ins can increase engagement, accomplishments, and employee retention. Additionally, one-on-ones serve as the basis for top-performing teams.   🚩Yet so few leaders fulfill this core responsibility, and no one should consider themselves a leader if they can’t commit time and effort to improve the abilities of their team members.   👉Recommendations for effective one-on-ones:   ✅Prepare Well: Go over previous notes or, if first time, request they fill out a survey with open-ended questions, complete an online tool to identify their strengths, or use other templates to gain some insight before the meeting.   ✅Proper Schedule: Ensure they have proper time to prepare and the meeting doesn’t conflict with a hectic or stressful time for them.   ✅Use Open Space: Sometimes, being away from the workplace can lighten the mood and improve the conversation.   ✅Set the Agenda Beforehand: Facilitate the conversation to stay on focus.   ✅Let the Team Member Lead: Don’t deliver a monologue; this approach isn’t very effective. Instead, let team members set the tone. Remember, it’s only about them!   ✅Encourage Self-Awareness: Help them become more introspective by asking the right questions.   ✅Be Open-Minded: Their view of their future may differ from what you think is best for them. Don’t let your experiences and biases overtake their passions and ambitions.   ✅Pay Attention to Their Well-Being: Team member well-being may not be tended to, which can impact their ability to consider signing up for a mentorship program or training opportunity.   ✅Build Trust: Managers must recognize their limitations and provide accurate information to build trust and connection with team members and create a supportive work environment.   ✅Be an Active Listener: Pay attention, ask questions, summarize, and ensure no distractions!   ✅Take Notes: Keeps track of the conversation for revisiting progress in the next session. But don’t violate the previous point! Write notes when appropriate or after the meeting so as not to distract.   ✅Revisit Previous Goals: Did the team member pursue mentorship or certification? How are you supporting?   ✅End on a Positive Note: Motivate them at the end of every meeting and pave the way for a positive working environment!   🔥It requires dedication and focus to initiate discussions on team member growth during one-on-one meetings. However, these personalized discussions are invaluable for creating customized learning and development plans that can significantly enhance and nurture talent!

One-on-one meetings with your manager - source of growth and support or a frustrating experience ❓ Questions to turn those meetings into productive, meaningful conversations. First, don't be shy about steering the conversation in a direction that suits you. Here are some categories of questions you can use: 👉 Ask for Guidance and Input: Got challenges or struggling with something (let's call it "X")? Ask your manager for help in navigating and addressing it successfully. Need more resources for project "Y"? Seek ideas and thoughts. Have a brilliant idea "Z"? Get your manager's input on how to make it even better. 👉 Clarify Priorities and Expectations: Make sure you and your manager are on the same page. What should you be prioritizing? Are you taking on the right projects and tasks? Are you meeting your goals and expectations? 👉 Align with the Organization and Its Strategy: Understand how your role fits into the broader strategic goals of the organization. What's happening beyond your department that you should know about? How does your work tie into the company's goals and strategy? 👉 Seek Growth Opportunities and Career Advancement: Talk about your professional goals. What can you do to prepare for greater opportunities? How can you improve and develop to align with the organization's direction? Get insights into your strengths and the next steps in your career. 👉 Get Feedback on Your Performance: Check in on your performance without turning every meeting into a formal evaluation. Are you meeting expectations? What feedback can your manager share about your work? 👉 Build a Relationship: Connect with your manager personally. Ask about their day, how they're doing overall, and what excites them outside of work. It's not all business, you know! 👉 Offer Support: Managers need help too! Ask about their priorities and how you can assist. Maybe they have something keeping them up at night that you can lend a hand with. Now, remember, you don't have to bombard your manager with all these questions in one go! Pick a category or two for each meeting and rotate through them over time, and don't be afraid to dig deeper with follow-up questions like "why?" You'll gain valuable insights into the bigger picture of your work. Use these questions wisely, to turn your 1:1 meetings into an opportunity to build a better relationship with your manager. If you or someone you know is looking for a new role in 2024, DM me "OPENTOWORK" and I'll share ⭐ FREE ⭐ resources to support your job search efforts. 🔽 🔽 🔽 👋 Hi, I'm Graham. Thanks for checking out my Post. Here is what you can do next 🔽 ➕ Follow me to see me in your feed 🔔 Hit the bell on my profile for Post notifications ♻ Inform others in your network via a Share or Repost 📅 Please don't suffer in silence ❗ Book an appointment to discuss your job situation. #career #jobs #business #technology #finance

In my previous post, I introduced the first "G" of the 4G manager framework - helping your people ✨ Glow ✨. While this requires skill-building and intention, helping your team Glow is both gratifying and feels good. Many managers are inherently driven to excel in this area. 🚀 However, the second "G" - guiding people to 'Grow' through constructive feedback, productive stretch, and career conversations - can feel disconcerting and uncomfortable to most managers. And yet, avoiding it has real costs to employee development 🌟 Here are some tips to make this G - Grow - feel more approachable and effective: 1️⃣ Constructive Feedback: Focus on pinpointing specific, observable behaviors and their impact on the business or the team. Steer clear of speculating about motives and instead, concentrate on the tangible. Real-time, concrete feedback builds trust far better than waiting for bi-annual reviews to discuss developmental opportunities. 💡 📣 Pro tip: Remember, you're responsible for delivering feedback constructively and objectively, not for how someone chooses to respond. Keep your focus on their growth 🌱, not on expressing yourself. 2️⃣ Productive Stretch: Empower your team to step outside their comfort zones into the realm of "productive discomfort." 🔥 This is where they flex new muscles, learn fresh skills, and ascend the steep slope of their learning journey. 🌈 📣 Pro tip: While it may be challenging to watch someone grapple with challenges before mastering a skill, allow them the space to figure it out independently before stepping in. The steep climb is a vital part of the growth process and isn't meant to be a cozy journey. ⛰️ 3️⃣ Regular Career Conversations: Engage in open, supportive dialogues about your team members' aspirations, focusing on values and desired skills. By doing this, you empower them to embark on new S-curves. 🛤️ 📣 Pro tip: For newcomers to your team, career conversations can center on thriving in their current role, without an immediate focus on their next move. Remember, not all career discussions are about the next step. 🌟 Do you have additional insights on helping your people 'Grow' as we head into review season? Do share!🌱✨ #Management #Leadership #EmployeeDevelopment #CareerGrowth #ProfessionalGrowth

Most managers are bad at a critical part of their job... b/c most probably don't think it's their job. 𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐫 𝐃𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐩𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭! It's something I frequently think about. And I hope anyone who has ever worked for me feels this. Here are some of the things I do to help develop my team. 𝐖𝐞𝐥𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐒𝐮𝐫𝐯𝐞𝐲 When someone joins the team, I send a Welcome Survey that covers work styles, professional development & personal interests. Questions include:  – What impact do you want to have at Crosschq? – What are you most excited to learn in your new role? – What are your career goals in the next 5 to 10 years? – List 3-5 professional skills that you'd like to develop in the next year. – What would make this job especially meaningful and enjoyable? DM me for my full survey. 𝐐𝐮𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐥𝐲 𝐂𝐡𝐞𝐜𝐤-𝐈𝐧𝐬 Different than a weekly 1:1, in this meeting, we take a step back to assess how things are going. I'll often pull up the welcome survey to guide the conversation, but it's a chance to ensure:  – They are getting what they need out of the job – The company is getting what it needs from them I'm asking questions like:  – Do you know what is expected of you? – Do you have what you need to be successful?  – Do you feel like your work is having an impact?  – Are you enjoying your work and the people you work with?  – Do you feel like you have the opportunity to do your best work? Then, we spend a chunk of time on career pathing so they know what’s needed to move to the next level. 𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐅𝐞𝐞𝐝𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤 Any good manager knows they must give frequent feedback, but there's still value in more formal performance reviews. Feedback is something I try to weave into the culture by training my team on how to give & receive feedback. Personally, it's something I'm still working on. 𝐂𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐚 𝐠𝐫𝐨𝐰𝐭𝐡 𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐬𝐞𝐭 One of the most important things a leader must do is intentionally create their team culture. I believe this is separate (but strongly aligned with) the company culture. The best way to do that: values & operating principles. One of the core principles I always set is continuous learning and a growth mindset. Other things I think about for good career development: 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 Open comm ensures everyone feels comfortable discussing their aspirations, concerns & feedback. 𝐂𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 Involve other stakeholders/depts to ensure that development plans are holistic and integrated into the broader org strategy. 𝐏𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐳𝐞𝐝 Eveyrone is unique. Personalize the plan to suit their specific needs & aspirations. 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐲 Be open about the business's needs and how they align with individual growth paths, so expectations are clear on both sides. 𝐄𝐦𝐩𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 Allow everyone the autonomy to make decisions regarding their career path, providing guidance and support as needed. What would you add? 

It's that time again. The dreaded annual performance review. Annual performance reviews are undeniably ineffective. (Yes, I’m an “HR person” putting a nail in the coffin of an activity that’s been our swan-song for eons….)    Survey after notable survey have reported that nearly every manager AND employee questioned believe that annual performance reviews weren’t effective or useful.    My friends, the traditional process is flawed.    Why?    First, the traditional review process focuses on the past rather than the future. This backward-looking conversation has shown to demotivate employees. (And, who really remembers what they did 11 months ago!? Raise your hand if you’ve reviewed your calendar from the past 12-months to remember what you did and accomplished? 🙋♀️)    So, how do you hold staff accountable while avoiding a cumbersome (and demoralizing) conversation?    Here’s the deal -    Employees prefer consistent, timely feedback to address roadblocks, receive recognition, and build a foundation of trust with their leaders. That’s why a less formal, more consistent approach to performance management benefits employee, team, and business success.    So, what should the process be?     1. 𝗠𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗵𝗹𝘆 𝗢𝗻𝗲-𝗼𝗻-𝗼𝗻𝗲𝘀  These informal meetings serve as an opportunity to recognize employees for their hard work, assess roadblocks, and coach performance. Regular one-on-ones help managers evaluate results as they come, not months later. That way, you can correct ineffective processes before they become a habit.    2. 𝗤𝘂𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗹𝘆 𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗰𝗸-𝗶𝗻𝘀  Quarterly checks are a great supplement to your one-on-one opportunities. These can be more formal.    3. 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗻𝘂𝗼𝘂𝘀, 𝘁𝘄𝗼-𝘄𝗮𝘆 𝗳𝗲𝗲𝗱𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸  This enables both employees and managers to ask for feedback. Not only does this make employees feel like their opinions matter, but it gives managers the insight they need to improve the employee experience and grow as a leader. In addition, your employees will be more likely to accept feedback without hesitation when it goes both ways.    4. 𝗖𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗿 𝗱𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀  Career development conversations help employees and managers align on the future. These conversations allow managers to recognize employee talent. When you show an employee that they are valued, you’ll be able to bring out their full potential.    The war for talent is real. It’s critical for leaders to establish a routine where expectations are clear, direct feedback is delivered real-time, and career development is actively supported.    How do you review your employees? And as an employee, how would you like to be reviewed?

Performance reviews occur too late. They usually miss the point. In most organizations, feedback is rare, awkward, and backward-looking. We treat it like a high-stakes event when it should be a natural, regular rhythm. Great cultures are built in the conversational habits of your organization. The are built one conversation at a time. Many smart people have struggled with this problem for years, but most organizations still haven’t caught up to the science. I have re-imagined a conversations framework — by organizing it around human time horizons, and aligning it with Self-Determination Theory, the most validated framework for human motivation. Why? Because if you want performance, you need motivation. And if you want motivation, you need to meet these three needs: Relatedness (Do I feel connected?) Competence (Am I capable?) Autonomy (Do I have choice and ownership?) Here’s how the five conversations line up: 1. Connection Check-In Conversations (Daily/Weekly) 🧠 Supports: Relatedness Brief touchpoints that show people they matter beyond their output. 💬 “How are you today?” 2. Competence Check-In Conversations (Weekly/Biweekly) 🧠 Supports: Competence + Autonomy Progress updates that keep people focused and self-directed. 💬 “What’s working? What do you need?” 3. Role & Team Alignment Conversations (At Onboarding or Annually) 🧠 Supports: Autonomy + Relatedness Clarifies expectations and shared values. 💬 “What does success look like in your role?” 4. Learning & Growth Conversations (Monthly/Quarterly) 🧠 Supports: Competence + Autonomy Development coaching to unlock strengths and new skills. 💬 “What would growth look like for you right now?” 5. Long-Term Goals & Organizational Alignment Conversations (Quarterly/Semi-Annually) 🧠 Supports: Competence Zooms out to track progress and reconnect to purpose. 💬 “How do your goals align with where we’re headed?” I'm writing a cool article that is almost complete. Message me here if you want it when I'm done. 💡 Great leaders have these five conversations on purpose. Many do it intuitively. 🛠 Want to build a culture where feedback is natural, motivation is intrinsic, and goals are alive? Start with better conversations. Be intentional and be present. One conversation at a time. References in the comments. Thank you for your guidance and long discussions on these critical leadership concepts Eduardo Villavicencio-Vizcaino, Sarah Kalmeta, Paula S. White, Tony Morales and the whole crew at Advanced Leadership Concepts. #Conversations #Leadership #SDT #SelfDeterminationTheory #Momentum