Workscape Institute

Employees, think you are ready for a promotion next year?  Managers, do you have an employee that you think needs a new challenge?

I love this time of year. The flowers start blooming, the golf courses start greening up and it provides a time to stop, smell the flowers and think about the winter that has just passed.

Follow up:

The same analogy can be used for managers and employees.  Goals have been set, expectations discussed; but have meaningful conversations happened?  How many managers have taken the time to tell their employees how they are doing on their most critical goals or displaying those all important values?  How many employees have asked for direct feedback on their goals and performance?

This is the perfect time to have those discussions, reset expectations and raise the bar for the rest of the year.  Employees, if you think you are deserving of a promotion or are ready for a new challenge, this is the time to start that discussion.  Managers, if you think your employee could - or maybe must - raise the bar, it is time to start that discussion.

Every spring, I have that discussion with my manager about what I expect at the end of the year.  It gives a manager time to think and to give valuable feedback, and also affords me time to adjust, as needed.  That adjustment might be; better go to the driving range a few more times, or there might be an opportunity in a particular area, and if you show leadership you may be well positioned when it comes.  I’ve always said I don’t plan my career steps, but I am vocal (just ask my manager) about when I’m ready for a new challenge.  Personally, it isn’t all about the money, I thrive on challenge and tackling new things.  The more the better, just keep asking me to do different things that benefit the company and I’m thrilled.

This spring, take the opportunity to start asking those difficult, yet important, questions:

• Employees: what do you hope to be doing next year?  Does your manager have any idea?  What do you think you need to do to be ready for that challenge?
• Managers: do you have an employee, or two, who you think could be contributing more?  Who must contribute more next year?   Who would you really like to see grow in a new area?

Sit down and have those conversations now.  Then, of course, document the feedback and development plan so you remember later in the year when you are going into the appraisal process and planning for 2011.