I believe organizations make one critical mistake when developing leaders.

We wait too long.

We hire talented people. We teach them systems, processes, and technical skills. They become high performers, earn promotions, and only then do we begin investing in their leadership development.

What if we've been asking the wrong question?

Instead of asking, "Who should we develop after they're promoted?" perhaps we should be asking, "Who can we begin developing today?"

Leaders have a lot of conversations. We discuss performance, review goals, solve problems, conduct one-on-ones, and talk about the work that needs to get done. Those conversations matter, but most of them have something in common: they're about the work.

A career conversation changes the focus. For a moment, the agenda isn't what the organization needs from you. It's what you need from us to keep growing. And that may be one of the most important conversations you have this year.