Step 1: know Their Talents

The primary objective of career conversations is to gather information that will tell you more about your employees. It is not always easy for them to talk about their skills, values, and interests. Some will think of it as bragging, or they’ll fear appearing disloyal if they discuss career goals beyond the current job. (Many managers in Asia report this to be a challenge—how to hold an honest career discussion, given cultural norms and values that support humility and loyalty.)

The ultimate goal is to ask questions about your employees’ unique skills, interests, and values. The toughest part is to listen while they answer, as a diligent researcher would. Probe, inquire, and discover more.

GO TO Understand

To Do

Try asking these questions, and then probe each answer more deeply:

What makes you unique in this organization?

Tell me about one of your accomplishments that makes you particularly proud.

What are your most important work-related values? Which values are met and not met at work?

If you had to choose among working with people, data, things, or ideas, which mixture would be most satisfying? Why?

Get curious. Ask good probing questions (avoiding ones that give you only yes or no answers), and you’ll gain a deeper understanding of what really matters to your employees. Be patient with people who’ve never had a boss ask these kinds of questions and might be uncomfortable responding initially.

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