5 Conversations you should be having at work

Everything you need is a conversation away and this also applies as we proactively navigate our careers... so long as you are having the right conversations with right people.?

Navigating your career successfully will require you to have intentional conversations that will allow you to build strong professional relationships. If you are starting to think about your 2022 professional goals, it’s important you don’t neglect goals as it relates to #relationshipcapital.?

Progressing in your career requires a level of intentionality that can be challenging to maintain alongside your day job. Becoming more aware of the types of conversations you should be having helps you to identify relationships you may need to start investing in over the coming year. Relationships are cultivated through meaningful conversations and this article highlights 5 conversations every industry professional must strive to have:

1. Value Adding Conversations: People who add value will always be in demand. When you produce work or complete a successful project, always think about who else in the organisation could benefit from learning more about my work or the lessons learned. You can add value by reaching out to your counterparts who sit in different geographical locations or to a colleague who you know is interested in your work. Being generous with your colleagues always pays. It increases your visibility with the organisation and will inject goodwill into your relationships. Learn to be a person of value.?
2. Advice Seeking Conversations: How often are you having conversations with people who are more experienced than you in your career journey. Conversations that allow you to explicitly ask for advice about how to navigate better in your role or at the organisation can give you hindsight that will allow you to avoid making mistakes that others have already made. If you are someone that is quite nervous when speaking with more senior colleagues, you should prioritize having these types of conversations that allow you to glean from their wisdom and experience.?
3. Peer Building Conversations: Never underestimate the power of investing time in building relationships with your peers. You can learn so much from your peers that could be at your firm or across the industry and it’s probably less intimidating! Connecting frequently with peers is a great opportunity to share information as well as learn how others are approaching similar challenges you may be facing at your level.?
4. Sponsor update conversations: True sponsorship open doors that lead to opportunities that can turbocharge your career. If you have a sponsor, how often do you provide updates of what you are working on and the value you are bringing to your team and organization? This is important (and necessary) because these conversations can consolidate the trust they already have in you and provides them with more ammunition? to back you when you are not in the room. Make time to connect with your sponsors and keep them informed of your progress and your career aspirations.?
5. HR Conversations: You should always make sure that your HR relationships are strong. Is your HR contact aware of your career aspirations? Those who sit in HR may get wind of opportunities before they are announced or be in meetings whereby they could speak on your behalf. Don’t just use your HR contact to air all your grievances but build an open relationship where you share information about your progress, development goals? as well as being transparent about what support you need.

Prioritizing time to have these intentional conversations at work can lead to a more meaningful career and stronger professional relationships. Which conversations do you need to work on in 2022?