Your growth conversation ❤️🚀

A guide to taking ownership of your growth

1. Why this matters 🌱

This is your conversation - not your manager’s. During the Growth conversation, you get the chance to step away from the day-to-day and focus entirely on your growth. 

Growth is about more than promotions or job titles. It's a chance to focus on what energizes you, the skills you want to build, and the impact you want to make. Maybe that means deepening your expertise. Maybe it means exploring a new path entirely. 

The truth is simple: only you can take responsibility for your growth. But you are not on your own. Your manager is expected to be your dedicated partner and coach. Their role is to listen, create space for you to reflect, and actively help connect your personal aspirations to real opportunities at the company. Use this conversation as your dedicated time to leverage that support and drive your growth forward.

To be clear, this is not affecting your performance review; it's a dedicated and forward-looking space for you to explore what's next, without the pressure of being evaluated.

2. Preparing for the conversation 💭

The more you’ve reflected before the meeting, the more powerful the conversation will be. This isn't homework; it's a chance to connect with what matters. Treat the following prompts as a menu, not a checklist. Pick whatever sparks your curiosity:

• What gives me energy? Think of moments where you felt “in the zone.” What were you doing, and what made it feel that way? (e.g., solving a complex problem, collaborating with others, having autonomy). This is the biggest clue to what you should do more of.

• Where do I feel drained or underused? Notice if something is draining you or if there’s a talent you have that isn't being used. If a task feels draining, consider if it's a sign to do less of that work, or an opportunity to find a better approach or build a new skill.

• What's my next step or a specific goal? This should be a safe space to be ambitious. Is there an impact you want to have, a goal you want to reach, or even a future role you're curious about? What new skills or hands- on experiences would help you get there?

• What would you like to focus on in the conversation? Do you want to focus on a strength, a new direction, or a broader check-in? Pick what feels most important to you right now.

3. Owning the dialogue 💬

When the meeting starts, remember: you’re in the driver’s seat. 

Be clear about what excites you and honest about what holds you back. You don’t need to have all the answers. Exploration is part of the process. Stay curious and ask your manager what they see in you and how they imagine you could grow.

4. Turning ideas into action 🚀

Inspiration is the start, but action is what creates growth. When you get to the part of the conversation where you turn your intention into action, you can think of your growth plans using the 70/20/10 model, which focuses your energy on where you learn the most. 

• 70% Experience (Doing): Where can you get hands-on practice? This is where most growth happens.

• 20% Exposure (Learning from others): Who could you learn from, shadow, or get feedback from?

• 10% Education (Formal learning): What courses, books, or workshops could build your foundation?

5. After the conversation 🔄

Your growth plan isn’t something you “set and forget.” It’s a living guide, and you are its owner. Decide with your manager how to bring it into your 1:1s. Don't wait for your manager to ask - if you have progress to share, are feeling stuck, or a new idea sparks your curiosity, put it on the agenda. Your manager is your partner in this, but the responsibility to keep the conversation alive is yours.

Tips and tricks

• Keep the growth document in your Slack Canvas your manager to keep it available and alive

• Consider creating your own brag document: a simple log of your accomplishments and learnings. Instead of relying on memory, it provides you with concrete examples for your growth conversation which helps you pinpoint what truly gives you energy and makes it easier to build a clear, data-driven case for the opportunities you want to pursue. [Thanks to Mike Jones and the Design team for the tip]

• Tip: Put the brag document in a canvas in the Slack conversation with yourself 💡 [Thanks to Morten Krane]

Share your feedback

As you go through your own process of the Growth conversation, please notice what works, what doesn’t, and what’s missing. If you have an idea - no matter how small - that could make this guide or the conversation more meaningful for you and your colleagues in the future, we want to hear it. Please share your thoughts through a Slack message or coffee chat with @Simon Tjessem.

Your Questions Answered

• Q: What are you thinking in terms of documenting work around this? Slack, Drive, Workday? For example when you change managers.

  • Your manager will receive a task to upload your summary to Workday. This will be stored on your profiled and thus available for a next manager