having career conversations
Half-day masterclass for managers on career conversations that change what a team member does next: specific enough to act on, honest enough to trust, and built around listening as much as telling.
Covers honest and helpful feedback on where someone stands, clarity on what's possible without guaranteeing they'll get there, and listening for what they want.
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Give someone specific, tangible direction - what you want to see from them and where it could lead
Give constructive development feedback in a direct approach and considering emotional intelligence to enable the receiver to have a clear action plan moving forward
Be honest about someone's current performance and what's realistically possible from here, without over-promising
Listen for what someone wants from their own career
Connect someone's day-to-day work to where you see the team or function going
Give praise when it’s deserved, as well as nurturing support and encouragement when it’s needed while maintaining professional boundaries
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This is a practical, structured masterclass built around conversations participants are already having, or will need to have, with their own team. Every session pairs a framework with practice, so techniques are tried out on a scenario from their own team, not just talked through. The emphasis throughout is on specific, honest conversation - not vague encouragement or empty praise.
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Half-day masterclass (3.5 hours)
Can be extended to a full day to cover additional objectives
Delivered in-person or virtually
Mixed groups from across teams
Level set to match the group on the day
Up to 20 participants
From £1,800 per session
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09:30 – 09:45
Welcome and objectives
What a career conversation is for09:45 – 10:30
Giving direction that's specific enough to act on
Practising how to tell someone what you want to see from them and where it could lead, using a simple thread from strategy through to individual objectives so direction is tied to where the team or function is heading.10:30 – 11:15
Listening for what they want
The direction a manager has in mind for someone may not be the direction that person wants. Practising how to check that before giving direction, using an active listening checklist and a motivation worksheet to separate what's driving someone from what they say out loud.11:15 – 11:30
Break11:30 – 12:15
Feedback that identifies and underlying causes
A four-part structure - behaviour, situation, impact, agreed way forward - used to get at why a shortcoming is happening rather than only naming it, with reframing prompts for turning a hard message into something someone can act on. Practised in pairs on a recent scenario each person brings, including when the feedback is negative.12:15 – 12:45
Growth conversations without overpromising
The GROW model - Goal, Reality, Options, Way forward - used to keep a development conversation honest and supportive. Practised in pairs.12:45 – 13:00
Key takeaways and commitments
A short checklist and personal commitments for each manager's next career conversation.
