Managers Running Scared? How to make Career Conversations easier (and more effective)

It’s careers Q&A day where we give you some personal attention by answering your questions.

Today’s question comes from Hannah, an HR leader in real estate investment: “I would love our managers to take ownership of career conversations, but they are definitely running scared. How can I get them to be up for talking to their people about their next steps?”

What we cover:

It’s completely normal for managers to feel anxious about career conversations, and a lot of that anxiety comes down to a misconception about what they’re actually for. The moment someone hears “career conversation”, they picture the dreaded “where do you want to be in five years?” which rarely ends well for anyone.

The correct framing is this: the individual owns their career, the manager nurtures their capacity, and the organisation enables the opportunities. Managers don’t need to have all the answers, promise promotions, or become internal recruiters. That’s not their job.

Much of what holds managers back is myth-busting: the fear that any career conversation will inevitably lead to a request for a promotion or a pay rise. It won’t, and even if it does, that’s a conversation worth having. Career conversations are fundamentally an engagement and retention tool. People stay where they feel genuinely seen and invested in.

When it comes to how to run the conversation, the single most important thing is to take the pressure off yourself. Stay curious. Simple opening questions “What does success look and feel like for you?” or “What experiences would you love to have next?” do a lot of the heavy lifting. Sharing a little of your own journey can also help the other person open up.

Finally, if you want managers to succeed at this, don’t just train the managers. Consider raising awareness across the whole organisation first so that when someone sits down for a career conversation, both sides know the philosophy, the structure, and what to expect. Preparation on both sides is what turns a good intention into an excellent conversation.

Send your questions: Email or voicenote to pod@thecareerequation.com

Links:

Career Conversations Guide: https://www.thecareerequation.com/career-conversations-guide

Book an intro call: https://www.thecareerequation.com/book-intro-call

Erica on LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/ericasosna

Zoë on LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/zoeschofieldcoach