Host Sheila Boysen-Rotelli is talking about how to have a career conversation with your manager. It might be nerve-racking, but at the end of the day, your career is in your own hands!
Episode Highlights:
- Building a sustainable career means more than just showing up on time and doing a good job
- If there is something that you want then just ask for it, it never hurts to ask
- Hope is not a strategy and should not be relied on when you are trying to get something that you want
- You need to be the person to take charge because, at the end of the day, it's your career
- There are plenty of reasons that you might want to have this conversation with your boss
- You're at a point in your career when you want more responsibility
- You feel that a lack of updated skills has you stuck where you are
- It's time for a pay increase, as you see everyone around you being rewarded in a similar fashion
- Ask yourself a few emotionless questions before you bring up your request to your manager
- What's the key issue that you want to address?
- What are the external factors that you need to consider? (Is this the right person to ask? Is this the right time? What does success look like?)
- There are rules in this conversation that will set the right tone and give you the best chance to succeed
- Tread lightly when it comes to small talk as this is a natural side effect of nervousness
- Recognize the things that your boss needs to hear in order to understand and support your request
- Pay close attention to your body language and remember that it's not a fight, it's a request
- Set up the conversation in a way that will keep the conversation on track
- Present your case and your goal from the perspective that will benefit both sides
- Provide supportive data without overwhelming them with numbers
- Allow your boss to give you feedback by making sure to check in with them throughout the conversation
- Acknowledge that you understood the feedback to keep the conversation on track
- Prepare yourself to act appropriately in the case that your request might be denied
- Make an attempt to understand why your request has been turned down
- Just because it is not granted now does not mean it will not be granted in the future
- Thank them for their time, regardless of the outcome
3 Key Points:
- Just ask your manager when you want something regarding your career. It never hurts to ask and simply hoping won't get you anywhere.
- There are a plethora of factors to consider before having a conversation with your boss, such as timing, their power to help, and what success even looks like to you.
- Approach your boss with empathy and remember that they are human and are most likely under quite a bit of stress. This is simply a request, not a fight.
Tweetable Quotes:
- "Sometimes, to get what we want, we have to ask for it directly." - Sheila Boysen-Rotelli
- "It is hard to ask for what we think we're worth or what we think we need." - Sheila Boysen-Rotelli
- "We can either wait for good things to find us or we can go out and pursue them with intention and purpose." - Sheila Boysen-Rotelli
- "Asking for feedback can feel scary...that's a risk that we're just going to have to take." - Sheila Boysen-Rotelli
Resources Mentioned:
