The Revelation Conversation by Steve Curtin

Author:Steve Curtin
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Berrett-Koehler Publishers

Exercise

Schedule your first Revelation Conversation with a specific employee with the goal of initiating the conversation with each member of your staff in the coming days or weeks.

Below, write the name (or initials) of the employee, place, date, and time you will hold the conversation.

Name: ____________________________________ Date: ____________

Place: ____________________________________ Time: ____________

Using the framework below, prepare for the conversation, paying particular attention to being

• prepared to accept personal responsibility for the employee’s probable incomplete view of their job role

• grounded in the organization’s purpose, culture, corporate ideals, and performance standards, and how these connect to the employee’s job purpose

• ready with examples of purposeful job-specific actions and behaviors (e.g., being observant, taking initiative, displaying a sense of urgency, sharing unique knowledge, using appropriate humor)

Lead-off question. Begin the conversation by asking the employee this question:

1. “Would you describe for me, from your perspective, your job role—what your job entails?”

They will likely provide a list dominated by job functions.

Validate the response, accept personal responsibility for omissions, and reveal the totality of the job role. It is critical that you do not appear to judge their response and, assuming it is devoid of any reference to purposeful actions or behaviors, imply that the employee should be aware of a dimension of their job role that was omitted. Instead, validate the job functions listed (they’re essential) and accept responsibility for the employee’s incomplete view of their job role that led to the omission of actions or behaviors that reflect job purpose. You might say:

2. “That’s an impressive list of job functions, the duties and tasks related to your job role. All of those things are important and necessary—even critical to our success. Though, if that’s how you would describe the totality of your job role, then I have explained your job to you incompletely. Job functions make up only one aspect of your job role. The other dimension of your job role is job essence.”

They will likely ask, “What is job essence?”

Clarify job essence. Then you will clarify by saying:

3. “Job essence is how you reflect, through actions and behaviors, the purpose of your job role; your single highest priority at work.”

They will likely ask, “What’s that?”

Clarify job purpose. And then you will say:

4. “Your single highest priority at work is to __________________________________________________________.” (This may match the job purpose that you articulated for your own job role in chapter 3.)

Then they might ask, “How do I do that?”

The payoff. As mentioned, the conversation that follows, besides serving customers directly, might just be the best use of your time at work. This is a great opportunity to

• reinforce performance standards

• inspire the employee to realize their potential at work

• raise expectations and challenge the employee professionally

• demonstrate support for the employee’s success in their job role

• reflect openness and honesty in communication

• show personal interest in the employee

• build the relationship

• convey that you are a purpose-driven leader

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