Flip the Script
Nine years into his career with a real estate investment firm, Keith’s an assistant director with hopes of being promoted to director and getting on the partner track. In a recent coaching session, he experimented with an alternative to the tactical thinking focused on short-term goals and objectives. With some prodding, he tapped his imagination to consider different career possibilities and he came up with a simple intention:
I am enjoying making an impact as a director on my way to partnership.
This intention – stated in the present tense – gives him plenty of wiggle room and the freedom to switch departments or move to a competitor, anywhere in the world.
Moving up in an organization requires a few things:
Trust and open communication between you and your boss
Shared understanding of your career aspirations
Consistent feedback that is honest, timely, and actionable
Your boss’s willingness to advocate for you with the right people when the time is right
Fortunately, Keith had good communication with his boss, mostly via email and weekly check-ins, and they trusted one another. Ultimately, he wanted his boss to advocate for him but, for now, he needed to find an easy and non-confrontational way to share his career aspirations and get the feedback he really wanted. Unfortunately, his boss’ style of feedback was making vague and non-specific comments and criticism, lacing them with advice, and presenting them at the tail end of their weekly calls leaving no time for discussion. This often left Keith feeling confused and angry – unable to ask questions or defend himself.
It was up to Keith to change things. He devised a plan, admittedly risky, to flip the script during his upcoming annual performance review. First, he followed company procedures: he completed his self-review, and he ranked his performance before seeing his boss’ comments and disappointingly lower rankings. While prepping his comments and questions for the review meeting, he brought his intention to mind: I am enjoying making an impact as a director on my way to partnership. This tamped down his fears about jeopardizing his relationship with his boss or worse, having him retaliate by denying him a raise or bonus. He also got the boost of confidence he needed by visualizing how strong and confident he felt the moment he crossed the finish line for his first marathon.
It was the day of his review and after breaking the ice, Keith requested one change to the final review document. His boss agreed. Then, Keith asked three questions:
This review process always gets me thinking about my future with the firm. I see myself as a director who’s on track for partner and I’d like your support in making that happen. May I ask a question? His boss agreed.
What if, instead of reviewing the past year and discussing things I cannot change, we looked ahead 9 - 12 months? I am curious to hear your ideas and specifically your priorities and the contributions you are counting on me to make. [Sensitive to his boss being caught off guard, he added] If you’d like to think about it and move this discussion to another day, that’s OK by me. His boss paused and then shared his strategy for the group with specifics about the roles he wanted Keith to play. Keith took notes and agreed to draft his goals and email them to his boss within 24 hours.
Anticipating that his boss might be turned-off by the term “feedback”, he selected his words very carefully. Starting with our check in meeting this week, I’d like to make my goals one of the first things we discuss. I’ll be curious to hear your thoughts on what I am doing right and where I am coming-up short. I am committed to applying what I learn to tune up my performance. When his boss agreed, Keith breathed a sigh of relief.
Weeks later, Keith is finally getting the feedback he’s been waiting for. Some things are hard to hear, but he understands the context and can be intentional about the changes he makes. Instead of giving advice, his boss is asking more questions and listening for Keith’s thoughts and ideas. Their conversations are easy, and Keith can feel their trust grow.
Last week, his boss urged him to get involved in a new project that’s about to launch. He offered to make calls to key people and alert them that Keith would be following up. Keith started connecting with colleagues across the firm and lining up a role for himself that will significantly raise his profile and allow him to see how other divisions operate in case he wants to consider an internal transfer.
Keith took a risk when he took the initiative and flipped the script on his review. While his vision of himself as a director is coming into focus, he is being an intentional leader people count on to provide them with the honest, timely, and actionable feedback they want and need to tune their performance and move up in their career.
Are you ready to flip the script?
Let's work together to set your intentions and make change happen.
