A three-step approach to discussing career development with your boss

By Antoinette Oglethorpe

Some people enter the workforce thinking their manager is responsible for their career development. They work hard, deliver results, sit back, and wait to be promoted.

Unfortunately, this strategy rarely works.

What no one has told them is: your career development starts with you — and is amplified by the support of your manager. To advance in any role, you need to proactively initiate a career-planning conversation with your boss. This is a meeting you can use to discuss your interest in growth opportunities, ensure that your individual goals are aligned with the mission of the organisation, and develop a longer-term plan to set you up for success.