HOW WE DEFINE CONVERSATIONS VERSUS FEEDBACK Here is how we de昀椀ne them. Conversations: • Between a manager and a direct or skip-level report • Formal or informal • Scheduled or spontaneous • Future-focused coaching and development moments ? • Focus is usually on facilitating success in employee behaviors, success strategies, goals, and career aspirations We de昀椀ne conversations as dialogues between a manager and their employee. This might be a direct reporting or a skip-level relationship, but it will always occur within a vertical reporting structure — where the manager carries responsibility for employee performance. Conversations may be scheduled sessions or informal two-way check-ins. Ideally, they would have both a verbal and a written component — making them useful for guiding and also recording and measuring progress. Conversations might include: • Performance or skills assessment • Problem solving • Goal setting or tracking • Coaching • Recognition • Growth and career development ? Feedback: • Between an employee and anyone they work with • Formal or informal • Scheduled or spontaneous • Examines behavior that has already occurred to facilitate learning • Focus is on re昀氀ections that help an individual close the gap between where they are and where they should be Feedback can — and should often — take place between co-workers, peers, or leaders who have worked with an employee. Feedback might be solicited by an employee, prompted by the organization, requested, or o昀昀ered by a manager or any employee. THE MANAGER’S ULTIMATE GUIDE TO GREAT CONVERSATIONS 8