Clarify wording and fix typos

### Be a great leader

When it comes down to, it the best managers or leaders — the ones that team members want to have and are happy continue being part of the team.  These are the managers that take an interest in their team members lives and career.  By learning about what your team members wants, what they strive for and by being able to help them drive to their goals, you will build credibility, trust and respect.  This in turns also contributes to your overall success as a manager.

When it comes down to it, the best managers or leaders — the ones that team members want to have and are happy with — continue being part of the team.  These are the managers that take an interest in their team members lives and career.  By learning about what your team members want, what they strive for and by being able to help them drive to their goals, you will build credibility, trust and respect.  This in turn also contributes to your overall success as a manager.

### Attract, engage and retain top talent

A managers's job is not to just drive to OKRs and performance.  It is also to attract, engage and retain top talent team members and maximize their contribution to the group, department or division.  If you are interested in your team members aspirations, success and what motivates them, you will attract top talent because people will want to work for you.  Once you get great team members on board, you will need a plan to get them and keep them engaged. Career development can be and should be one of the ways you as a manager invest your time and energy to help drive engagement, performance and results.

A managers's job is not to just drive to OKRs and performance.  It is also to attract, engage and retain top talent team members and maximize their contribution to the group, department or division.  If you are interested in your team members' aspirations, success and what motivates them, you will attract top talent because people will want to work for you.  Once you get great team members on board, you will need a plan to get them and keep them engaged. Career development can be and should be one of the ways you as a manager invest your time and energy to help drive engagement, performance and results.

### Preparing for a team member's performance and development conversation

If a team members expectations or timeframe is unrealistic, you can explore having them use their time to find opportunities that will engage and prepare them for when their opportunities arise. If they are ready for promotion but the opportunity is not in scope or plan for the business it is best to be transparent with the team member. Discuss any timeline of if/when a position may be available or if there is no plan currently to add that role. You can also work with the team member to look for internal opportunities like internship or cross collaborative projects to help keep the team member engaged while continuing in their role.

If a team members expresses career ambitions that are beyond their current skill set, then that is an opportunity to talk about the next level skills and experience that might help prepare them to get them where they want to go. If your department or division has job matrices or competencies this is a good time to review those with the team member. Technical skills are only one part of the team members ability to continue to grow and succeed. If there are issues with attitude and behaviors this is a good time to also share what the team member needs to work on in regards soft skills as part of their career growth and development.

If a team member expresses career ambitions that are beyond their current skill set, then that is an opportunity to talk about the next level skills and experience that might help prepare them to get them where they want to go. If your department or division has job matrices or competencies this is a good time to review those with the team member. Technical skills are only one part of the team members ability to continue to grow and succeed. If there are issues with attitude and behaviors this is a good time to also share what the team member needs to work on in regards to soft skills as part of their career growth and development.

If you are concerned that your career development conversation could be construed as a promise of a promotion, focus the conversation around skills gap development and opportunities.  Try to focus on the things needed now rather than focusing on a specific time frame.

As a manager part of your job is to learn more about the team members you manage. What are their skills, interests and career goals? The tone of the career development conversation should be transparent, encouraging, curious and show that you are interested and invested in the team member. Spend some time before you have a conversation to think about the following:

- The team members key strengths, skills and wins

- The team members engagement level

- The team member's key strengths, skills and wins

- The team member's engagement level

- What are opportunities for their development

- Current level of skills in technical or functional areas

- What are their strong leadership competencies or behaviors

- I see this as my career path, what career path do you see based on my skills?

- Should I be gathering career development feedback from others?

Since you are already having regular 1:1s with your team member you may have ideas regarding your team members development aspirations. Plan ahead and take the time to think about what questions they may ask and come prepared to the conversation.

Since you are already having regular 1:1s with your team member you may have ideas regarding your team member's development aspirations. Plan ahead and take the time to think about what questions they may ask and come prepared to the conversation.

#### Having the discussion

#### Maintain the right frame of mind

Coming to the meeting with an open mind and the willingness to learn more about the team members career development aspirations will set the right tone for the conversation.

Coming to the meeting with an open mind and the willingness to learn more about the team member's career development aspirations will set the right tone for the conversation.

A best practice could be having the team member start the meeting by expressing their goals for the conversation. Your job as a manager is to listen and [understand their desires](/handbook/people-group/learning-and-development/career-development/#having-career-development-conversations-with-your-team) and help them explore options that may be available for reaching those goals. Try and refrain from interjecting, let the team member finish before you start talking. Try not to be judgemental on what they say, different people will have different career goals and it is important to respect their ideas. However, this can also be a time for you to provide them with feedback, suggestions, recommendations and guidance. It can also be an opportunity for you to connect them with different people within GitLab and additional resource that support their identified career path.

A best practice could be having the team member start the meeting by expressing their goals for the conversation. Your job as a manager is to listen and [understand their desires](/handbook/people-group/learning-and-development/career-development/#having-career-development-conversations-with-your-team) and help them explore options that may be available for reaching those goals. Try and refrain from interjecting, let the team member finish before you start talking. Try not to be judgemental on what they say, different people will have different career goals and it is important to respect their ideas. However, this can also be a time for you to provide them with feedback, suggestions, recommendations and guidance. It can also be an opportunity for you to connect them with different people within GitLab and additional resources that support their identified career path.

As a manager you should follow up on the goals and activities you both identify. This will show the team member that you do listen and have a vested interest in their future success. Also, career conversations should not be a one-time annual conversation. A best practice is to meet at least quarterly for a check-in. Keep in mind some team members may want to meet more often and some less frequently.