The Manager Toolbox

Have you ever wondered where Leadership begins? Where does the creation of authenticity, trust, and respect in human relationships start? For example, Dale Carnegie has said that it starts with a sincere goodwill and interest in another person. To understand and engage another person, it is essential to get to know them.

Today, we will take a closer look at a tool that leaders can use to get to know their team members better – to map out employee potential and support their development. The tool is specifically developed for the SinuLab Leadership software and can be combined with other SinuLab modules and solutions or used independently.

When to use:

  • In the preparation phase of development and performance reviews,
  • Planning and preparing career activities,
  • Supporting learning paths,
  • During leadership transitions,
  • Supporting the creation of long-term development plans.

The Potential Overview Form helps to:

  • Map out Employee strengths: personal qualities, professional competencies, abilities, potential.
  • Describe the team player qualities: relationships and communication, activity within the team, contribution to goals, encouraging and supporting others, empathy, keeping promises, adapting to changes, conflict resolution.
  • General Employee description: behavior, attitudes, activity, commitment, etc.
  • Identify what motivates the most: goals and challenges, self-actualization, compensation, recognition, other people, the team, security and stability, professional development, personal development.
  • Assess Employee potential: looking 2-5 years ahead, where could the employee move, what should they develop, what strengths to enhance? How to best utilize their potential?
  • Focus on main development activities: what is the main goal to focus on? It could be moving to a leadership position, taking on more responsibility, developing communication skills, long-term development of a critical competency, etc.
  • Next career step (Employee’s opinion): what are the employee’s own expectations? Where do they want to move? Where do they see themselves in 2 or 10 years?
  • Next career step (Manager’s opinion): for example, moving from a specialist to a subject matter expert (career goals should also support setting development focus, see above).
  • Identify the support needed from the Leader: for example, consistent operational feedback, joint discussions, recognition, guidance, sharing experiences, expanding the network, etc.
  • Preferred ways of working: for example, remote work, flexible working hours, hybrid work, preferably in the office, daytime shifts, etc.
  • Preferred learning methods: which learning methods or ways suit the employee best – e-learning, asynchronous learning, academic education, team learning, on-the-job learning, lots of practice, self-study, guided learning (mentoring, coaching), etc.

Guidelines:

  1. As a Manager, fill out the Form for each Employee independently.
  2. Take enough time for completion, do not rush.
  3. We do not recommend filling out this form together with the Employee or sharing the written content.
  4. If you don’t know an answer and have never discussed it with the Employee, it is a good topic for a one-on-one discussion or to address in a Performance review.
  5. Do not assume – ask!
  6. Review the completed form before each important conversation with the Employee.
  7. Update as necessary.

Contact us and ask for more