Meeting Topic
Career Conversations
Meeting Resources
- Watch the Recording
- Download the presentation
- Situational Leadership Application Plan
- Career Conversations for Supervisors
- LinkedIn Learning: Supervisor Learning Path
- LinkedIn Learning Skills Library
Meeting Summary
At this month's supervisors meeting, Beverly Pérez-Mercado and De'Anna Randle walked through two things that go hand in hand: the updated Career Conversations process and how the Situational Leadership Framework can help supervisors turn ratings into real development. De'Anna covered the process timeline, the five-scale rating system, and what supervisors need to do — and when — to set their teams up for a successful cycle. Beverly then connected those ratings to leadership style, building on the Situational Leadership Framework introduced last October to show how where an employee lands on the scale should directly shape how a supervisor coaches, directs, supports, or delegates to that person.
The five-scale rating system: Exceeding, Meeting, Evolving, Developing, and Not Measurable, gives supervisors and employees a shared, evidence-based language for performance. A key message throughout was that "Meeting" is a strong rating that reflects consistent, solid contribution, and leniency in ratings doesn't protect relationships; it reduces credibility, creates inequity, and limits the employee's development. The session also addressed a distinction supervisors frequently blur: coaching (growth-focused, forward-looking) is different from corrective action (addressing performance gaps), and knowing which one a moment calls for makes a meaningful difference.
The eLearning module in EDGE Learning is optional but strongly encouraged before Aug. 3, when the Career Conversations checklist opens for employees. Supervisors complete their portion in September, live 1:1 conversations happen in October, and growth plans launch from November forward. The session closed with sharing the Career Conversations webpage, job aids and LinkedIn Learning resources.
Key Takeaways
- "Meeting" is not a middling rating; it reflects consistent, solid performance and is where most employees should land
- Leniency in ratings feels kind but creates real harm: it reduces your credibility and limits employees' ability to grow
- Each rating maps to a leadership style: developing employees need Directing, Evolving need Coaching, Meeting benefit from Supporting, and Exceeding thrive with Delegating
- Coaching and corrective action are not the same thing; knowing which one fits the situation shapes the entire conversation
- The Career Conversations process is designed to be sequential; employees reflect first, supervisors respond, then live conversations happen in October
Action Steps
- Complete the supervisor eLearning module in EDGE Learning before July 31st and encourage your team to do the same
- Share the Career Conversations timeline with your direct reports so they're prepared for the Aug. 3 launch
- Use the 5-scale ratings table to identify which leadership style fits each of your direct reports right now
- Start thinking about October; schedule time to hold 1:1 Career Conversations with each direct report before Oct. 30.
- Reach out to hr-learnanddevelop@arizona.edu with process questions or contact your HR generalist for unit-specific guidance
Next Meeting
Aug. 20, 2026: Next month's meeting will focus on preparing for the supervisor evaluation phase of Career Conversations, coaching conversations, and evaluation alignment best practices.