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Most people approach their development backwards. |
They collect feedback, try best to respond, and hope their manager noticed enough to promote them. |
Then they wonder why their career feels stuck. |
Here's what I told a client recently when she asked about preparing for her next role: |
Your development isn't something your company does for you.
It's a system you build for continuous improvement. |
And like any system, it starts with knowing where you're going. |
Map Your Target Before You Start Moving |
You can't close a gap you haven't defined. |
Before you ask for feedback or create a development plan, get crystal clear on what you're building towards. What does the next level actually require? |
Sometimes your company has defined this. There's a competency framework or a leveling guide that spells out the difference between a Manager and a Senior Manager, or a Director and a VP. |
Start there. |
Even if it's imperfect, it gives you a shared language with the people who decide your promotion. |
Sometimes you have to define it yourself. Look at people who already have the role you want. What do they do that you don't? What decisions do they make? What problems do they solve? |
You need a target. Otherwise, you're just collecting random feedback and hoping it adds up to something. |
Get an Honest Audit |
Once you know the target, you need to understand where you are relative to it. |
Run Your Own 360 |
Don't wait for HR to organize this. Create a simple feedback process for yourself. Ask your team, your peers, and your boss to rate you on the key capabilities that matter for your target role. |
The key is getting input from multiple perspectives, not just your manager's opinion. |
Understand How to Weight Feedback |
Not all feedback is equally valuable. |
Your direct reports will likely be generous. You have power over them. Even if you beg them to be honest, they'll probably soften their feedback. Humble it slightly. Your peers are more reliable. They don't report to you, so they're less worried about consequences. If you're causing them problems, they'll tell you. Your boss matters most. They have the same power over you that you have over your team. If they're telling you there's a gap, you need to convince them you're closing it.
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Triangulate with mentors or experts outside your reporting line might be the most honest. Their only incentive is to see you succeed. |
Separate "What's true" from "What to do about it" |
Here's the critical distinction: Ask people how they experience you. Don't burden them with also telling you what you should do about it. |
"I experience you as being too demanding" or "I experience you being unclear." |
That's valuable data. That's how you're landing with them. Even if it's not your intention. |
But what you should do about that? Don't trust them as much. They're not in your role. And they certainly can't be inside your head. |
You need to take their experience and figure out what your adjustments should be. |
And here's the thing: They might be experiencing you exactly the way you want them to. They just might not like it. That's okay. If this is what's happening, make sure it's intentional. |
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Is your career development stuck? You need a coach. But they're expensive. And often unavailable when you need them most. Our free Lightning Lesson will show you how to build one using AI in under 30 minutes. |
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Decide What You Will (and Won't) Work On |
You can't fix everything. And you shouldn't try. |
Map Feedback to Your Target |
Go back to that competency framework. Which pieces of feedback actually matter for closing the gap to your next role? |
Some feedback will be helpful but not critical. Some will be about style preferences. Some will be directly connected to whether you're ready for promotion. |
Focus on the last category. |
Don't Let This Become a Democratic Vote |
You need to shape your development. Don't let it become the average of everyone's opinions. That's a recipe for mediocrity. |
It's okay to receive feedback and say, "I really appreciate that perspective. It's not something I'm going to focus on right now because I'm trying to close these specific gaps." |
You're not being dismissive. You're being strategic. |
Do the Work and Bring People Along |
Here's where most development plans die: in the gap between intention and execution. |
Make Your Changes Visible |
If you're working on being less reactive in meetings, tell your team: "I'm working on pausing before responding. If you see me doing it well, let me know." |
If you're trying to delegate more, tell your boss: "I'm intentionally stepping back from X so my team can own it. I'd love your feedback on how it's going." |
People can't give you credit for changes they don't see. Make your development visible. |
Create Feedback Loops |
Don't wait six months to check if it's working. Build feedback into your rhythm. |
In your 1:1s, ask: "I've been working on X. Have you seen any change?" |
After key meetings, ask: "Did that land differently than before?" |
The faster you get feedback, the faster you can adjust. |
Celebrate Progress |
When someone notices your improvement, acknowledge it. "Thanks for noticing. That's exactly what I've been working on." |
This reinforces the change for you and signals to others that you're serious about growth. |
The Bottom Line |
Leading your own development means building a system for continuous improvement: |
Know your target. Get honest feedback from multiple sources. Weight it appropriately. Split how people experience you from what to do about it. Map feedback to what actually matters. Make intentional choices. Do the work visibly and bring people along. |
Your manager might support your development. But they won't lead it for you. |
That's your job. |
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What's On Your Mind? |
We haven't asked in a while, so help us pick the topic for next week's MGMT Playbook |
The topic that would be most valuable to me next week is... |
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Thank you for reading. Appreciate you! |
Dave |
| | | | Ways To Work With Us | MGMT Accelerator: A live cohort-based leadership development program. MGMT Fundamentals: A two-week training program for new managers. Custom Programs: Workshops built and delivered for your company. 1:1 Executive Coaching: C-suite leaders looking to scale. Keynote speaking: Leadership lessons for your event or offsite.\
| Learn about them all at: davekline.com |
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