Microsoft requires all people managers to conduct Midyear Career Discussions (MYCDs) with each direct report. These include a discussion between both parties on the following: 

1. Assessments on trend toward completion of annual objectives;
2. Assessment of the level of employee’s competencies in the role;
3. Choices, decisions, and considerations around the employee’s next career move

Like many internal things at Microsoft, this process is supported through several workflow tools, templates, and sets of buttons, forms, deadlines, and processes. Each MYCD, from assessment, fiddling in the tool, and the discussion itself can take the manager from one to three hours per employee. Many managers have around eight direct reports, so the time can add up quickly.

Here are five ways to make these discussions valuable, yet efficient.   I also provide a link at the end of this post to the discussion template I built and use, which has helped me cut through the clutter and get to the stuff that matters.

1. MYCDs  Create a Ripple Effect I take them seriously with my directs, and those of my directs who are people managers take them seriously with their directs. This creates a ripple effect of goodwill.  Proof that this works: In the past 1.5 years in my organization, not one top performer has left. And for every job we have posted, we had a slew of excellent internal candidates lined up to get in. I acknowledge my boss for taking these seriously with me, I in turn take them seriously with my directs, and they do with their directs.  And it all helps retain and attract talent.

2.  Changing the Oil is Better than Replacing the Engine.  I just bought a new car, the oil of which needs to be changed every 7,500 miles. This is a bit of a pain, but  less than that of replacing the engine if I don’t. Likewise, the MYCD allows both the employee and the manager to “check the oil” with the other.  Better now,  while there is still enough time in the fiscal year to keep the engine purring (or prevent a meltdown).

These discussions are also an important “forcing function” check-in for managers to get feedback from others on their directs, and to provide that feedback in a constructive way.

3.   MYCDs Provide Actionable Insights.  Managers learn to give feedback on what’s working and what’s not. However, a lot of that feedback ends up justifying actions (here is why we are promoting you/ here is why we are firing you/ here are the reasons for your bonus/ here is why I think you lost that client, etc) but often that feedback comes too late – before employee/manager can act to change the outcome. The good news here: almost half the fiscal year is still ahead of us, so action can still be taken to fix things.

The actionable feedback goes both ways: I also value the feedback from my directs on what I need to do better. 

4.   “Me Time.” Unlike end-of-year performance reviews, MYCDs focus on employee success  more than business achievement. Especially in digital marketing, the business is complex, with multiple customers (agencies, advertisers, tool providers) and metrics (conversions, brand awareness, efficiency) and other business challenges.  This is the only time when we can leave that aside and talk about ME (when I walk into my bosses’ office) or about each of my directs when they walk into mine.

5.  Customer Impact. True story: we have one large client that much of my team works with in one way or another. We all have an opportunity to increase our level of service and support for this customer. MYCD this year will be a time when I can highlight to all my directs the importance of aligning to delight this large client.  When my directs know that their future performance evaluation is tied to the growth of one specific customer relationship, the impact on the customer is immediate, real and noticeable. Of course direction like this can come outside of MYCD as well, but MYCD can be a time to get everyone on the same page in 1:1 setting.

Of course, the most important impact on customers comes from the customer-value chain: employees who are happy in their roles do a much better job of creating happy customers. And we all know that happy customers love to spend money.

Other thoughts:

A crucial aspect of these discussions is that the “career” aspect needs to be led by the employee. The manager’s job is to ask the employee to prepare a career plan or at least come with some ideas of where they would like to develop.  And then the manager can ask questions to help guide the conversation. But it’s important that each party knows that the responsibility for career development lies with the employee, not the manager. The manager’s job is  to facilitate.  At all costs the manager should avoid creating a “parent-child” syndrome by taking ownership of the development of their direct reports.  We’re all grown-ups here.

Here is the  template I use:  digitalCMO-MYCD. When it’s filled out, it is usually no more than 2.5 pages. with over half the content bullets. There is not a ton of writing here, but there should be a lot of discussion.

I’d be interested in hearing thoughts from others on what has worked, what hasn’t, and any other ideas.

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