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Six Conversations: A Simple Guide for Managerial Success
Whether you're a new or seasoned manager, you've probably been overwhelmed by unspoken employee expectations and human resources processes. It can be easy to ignore doing what you actually need to do as a manager to develop employees and keep the best ones. In this guidebook to managerial success, you'll learn how to answer six simple questions employees care about the * What is expected of me?
* What and how should I develop?
* How am I doing?
* How did I do?
* How will I be rewarded?
* What is next for me?
While you may be blessed or cursed by a system that requires written goals, documented development plans, performance ratings, compensation rationalization, assessments of flight risks, and so on, you cannot let the performance process drive these critical conversations. Instead, let the conversations drive the performance process. Take a giant leap forward toward improving productivity and morale at your organization. It starts with Six Conversations.
* What and how should I develop?
* How am I doing?
* How did I do?
* How will I be rewarded?
* What is next for me?
While you may be blessed or cursed by a system that requires written goals, documented development plans, performance ratings, compensation rationalization, assessments of flight risks, and so on, you cannot let the performance process drive these critical conversations. Instead, let the conversations drive the performance process. Take a giant leap forward toward improving productivity and morale at your organization. It starts with Six Conversations.
74 pages, Paperback
First published May 8, 2015
16 people are currently reading
32 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
June 22, 2025
★ ★ ★ ★ ☆ (4 / 5)
“Performance isn’t built on paperwork; it’s built on conversations.”
—Steve King
Why I Picked It Up
This was required reading for the UW Madison Manager Bootcamp I'm starting next week.
What the Book Delivers
King argues that high-trust, high-performance cultures are forged through six ongoing conversations:
What is expected of me? — SMART, business-linked, often stretch goals.
What and how should I develop? — Use the 70/20/10 rule and co-create growth plans.
How am I doing? — Real-time coaching, not drive-by critique.
How did I do? — Evidence-based reviews using Brag / Worry / Wonder / Bet prompts.
How will I be rewarded? — Transparent link between contribution, comp, and non-monetary motivators.
What’s next for me? — Regular, candid career pathing (up, over, or “more”).
Performance = Talent + Effort + Feedback. Skip any leg and the stool wobbles.
My Key Takeaways & Notes to Future-Me
Conversation Nuggets I Don’t Want to Forget
#1 Goals • Co-write SMART goals that map visibly to team OKRs.
• Mix results-only and results + process outcomes.
• Add at least one stretch target that forces a new skill.
#2 Development • 70 % on-the-job, 20 % feedback, 10 % formal training.
• Track both current-role and future-role skills.
#3 Real-time Feedback • Give in-the-moment notes tied to goals, not personalities.
#4 Review • Run B-W-W-B: Brag, Worry, Wonder, Bet.
• Separate performance discussion from pay talk.
#5 Rewards • If monetary fairness is settled, lean on autonomy, mastery, purpose, choice, progress.
• Prep answers for market-pay questions; never compare peers.
#6 Career • Ask “What big problems here do you want to solve?” to surface passions.
• Careers advance Up, Over, or More; help reports explore all three.
Manager pro-tip: Have the expectation & development talks before any HR form-filling. Paperwork should document the conversation, not replace it.
“Performance isn’t built on paperwork; it’s built on conversations.”
—Steve King
Why I Picked It Up
This was required reading for the UW Madison Manager Bootcamp I'm starting next week.
What the Book Delivers
King argues that high-trust, high-performance cultures are forged through six ongoing conversations:
What is expected of me? — SMART, business-linked, often stretch goals.
What and how should I develop? — Use the 70/20/10 rule and co-create growth plans.
How am I doing? — Real-time coaching, not drive-by critique.
How did I do? — Evidence-based reviews using Brag / Worry / Wonder / Bet prompts.
How will I be rewarded? — Transparent link between contribution, comp, and non-monetary motivators.
What’s next for me? — Regular, candid career pathing (up, over, or “more”).
Performance = Talent + Effort + Feedback. Skip any leg and the stool wobbles.
My Key Takeaways & Notes to Future-Me
Conversation Nuggets I Don’t Want to Forget
#1 Goals • Co-write SMART goals that map visibly to team OKRs.
• Mix results-only and results + process outcomes.
• Add at least one stretch target that forces a new skill.
#2 Development • 70 % on-the-job, 20 % feedback, 10 % formal training.
• Track both current-role and future-role skills.
#3 Real-time Feedback • Give in-the-moment notes tied to goals, not personalities.
#4 Review • Run B-W-W-B: Brag, Worry, Wonder, Bet.
• Separate performance discussion from pay talk.
#5 Rewards • If monetary fairness is settled, lean on autonomy, mastery, purpose, choice, progress.
• Prep answers for market-pay questions; never compare peers.
#6 Career • Ask “What big problems here do you want to solve?” to surface passions.
• Careers advance Up, Over, or More; help reports explore all three.
Manager pro-tip: Have the expectation & development talks before any HR form-filling. Paperwork should document the conversation, not replace it.
September 21, 2017
A great resource...I'll definitely be referring to it often.
September 23, 2020
A short useful guide on 6 conversations you will have to have with employees.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews