• Identify the behavior you would like to comment on.
• Describe the behavior in specific and concrete terms.
• Give feedback as to how this behavior affects you [or the organization] — positively or negatively. Pause and give the person an opportunity to respond.
• Assess what either you or the person might do differently. Negotiate these differences.
• Plan how both of you will follow up.
Source: Scott J. Allen and Mitchell Kusy, The Little Book of Leadership Development, 2011
Managerial Actions
When Managers …
Uncover talent, they:
• Match talent to business needs.
• Discover hidden or underutilized skills and abilities.
• Check their assumptions about individual capabilities.
• Motivate employees more effectively.
Provide feedback, they:
• Communicate more effectively with employees
• Prepare employees to gather feedback from a variety of sources.
• Guide employees to leverage strengths and develop in ways that support their growth.
• Offer frequent, timely guidance as part of how they lead and manage.
Offer information, they:
• Prepare employees for changes on the horizon.
• Share which skills and abilities are essential to the organization’s future.
• Define organizational norms and culture more clearly.
• Help employees make informed development decisions.
Encourage options, they:
• Encourage employees to work on several career goals simultaneously.
• Connect development plans to the organization’s strategy.
• Identify options to enrich jobs and careers.
• Provide reality checks as goals are defined.
Recommend resources, they:
• Provide ideas for learning on the job.
• Monitor progress and step in to help if things get off track.
• Identify barriers that might derail employees’ plans.
• Offer connections that support career goals.
— Beverly Kaye and Lindy Williams
The Tough Questions
Managers have a responsibility to create high-performing teams. To do that often requires the manager to engage in difficult conversations. Sometimes all it takes to aid team or manager development is to start a conversation with “So, how are we doing?” Other times, managers may have to ask tougher questions, such as:
• What are some obstacles affecting this team?
• What are opportunities we could take advantage of that we have been largely ignoring?
• Where can you take greater ownership on this team?
• Where have you let this team down?
• Compared to other teams with which you are familiar, how are we doing?
• When was the last time you complimented the team or one of its members?
• How open are you to giving feedback to team members?
Source: Scott J. Allen and Mitchell Kusy, The Little Book of Leadership Development, 2011
