The Leverage Point Podcast

Join us in this exciting episode as Mel Steinbach, CHRO of MasterClass, shares insights on intentional learning for career success. Mel brings a unique perspective with her extensive background as a senior executive search professional and CHRO, dedicated to creating conditions for employees and teams to thrive. As a key member of the executive team at MasterClass, she is committed to making high-quality learning accessible, enabling personal and professional growth for all.

Mel has kindly offered a free, one-month trial to MasterClass at Work, MasterClass's enterprise offering, to the listeners of the Leverage Point podcast. MasterClass at Work provides powerful, flexible learning solutions featuring the lived experiences and insights from the world’s top experts. Claim your free trial via this QR-code:

In this episode, we explore the intricacies of talent reviews, unveiling the strategic layers that shape this crucial process in talent management. By dissecting the goals of talent segmentation and highlighting the importance of differentiating performance and potential, we demystify talent reviews as not just evaluations, but as strategic conversations designed to guide targeted investments in an individual's growth. From providing practical tips on connecting aspirations to organizational investment, to discussing the significance of storytelling and vulnerability in talent review discussions, we offer insights for navigating these critical evaluations. This episode is a must-listen for the career-minded to get more of what you want from a career on your terms.

In this episode, we demystify the often-daunting performance review process. We dive deep into the art of turning performance reviews from a source of anxiety into a springboard for growth. With their expert insights, we discuss how to handle emotions philosophically, prepare for both the expected and unexpected feedback, and navigate the emotional curve with grace. We emphasize the importance of adopting a curious attitude, embracing active listening, and asking open-ended questions to fully engage with the feedback provided. Furthermore, we share strategies to handle the future by seeking specific support and embracing the review as a "growing edge." This episode is not just about surviving your performance review; it's about thriving in it and using it as a catalyst for your continued growth and success in your career. Join us as we transform the performance review into a constructive and empowering experience.

Referenced sources:

Grossmann, I., & Kross, E. (2014). Exploring Solomon’s Paradox: Self-Distancing Eliminates the Self-Other Asymmetry in Wise Reasoning About Close Relationships in Younger and Older Adults. Psychological Science, 25(8), 1571-1580. https://doi.org/10.1177/0956797614535400

Kray, L., & Gonzalez, R. (1999). Differential weighting in choice versus advice: I’ll do this, you do that. Journal of Behavioral Decision Making, 12(3), 207-218.

Zell, E., & Krizan, Z. (2014). Do People Have Insight Into Their Abilities? A Metasynthesis. Perspectives on Psychological Science, 9(2), 111-125. https://doi.org/10.1177/1745691613518075

Join us for Episode 15 where Angela and Sergey dive into the buzzing topic of AI in performance reviews. In "Will AI Take Over Performance Reviews?", we're chatting about how AI is changing the game in evaluating employee performance. Is it making appraisals better or just more complicated? We'll look at tools like Confirm and Culture Amp, which use AI to gather feedback and draft reviews. But here's the big question: can AI really replace the human touch in understanding and evaluating staff? We're also tackling the tricky side of ethics and how employees feel about AI-written feedback. Tune in for an engaging, straight-talk discussion that cuts through the tech jargon to the heart of what AI means for the future of performance appraisals.

Referenced study: 

Tong, S., Jia, N., Luo, X., & Fang, Z. (2021). The Janus face of artificial intelligence feedback: Deployment versus disclosure effects on employee performance. Strategic Management Journal.

In this episode, our guest Edie Goldberg - a talent management consultant and author of The Inside Gig: How Sharing Untapped Talent Across Boundaries Unleashes Organizational Capacity - talks about how to get a career edge by multiplying opportunities to do great work and learn. "It's much easier to find a new job in a different company than to find a new job in an existing company," she said, which is unfortunate, but it does not have to be that way. Listen in to hear her practical advice on what anyone can do to get an inside gig, like:

• Work on cross-functional projects

Another thing she said that is absolutely true: "Your next job doesn't exist yet".

Finally, do check out the 5 Pitfalls to Avoid When You Do Side Gigs blog post that we discussed with Edie.

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Music credits: Our Big Adventure by Scott Holmes

Career success is accelerated when we, as individuals, are in alignment with the work we do: it gives us purpose, plays to our strengths, is enjoyable and more.  When we find ourselves “suited” to our work, it becomes easier to do, excel and be rewarded.  And when we know what alignment looks like, we can plan our career, to get more of what we want.  But finding alignment, and planning for success, isn’t a given.  And that’s where this podcast comes in. Judy Garfinkel, an executive coach and President of ICF Connecticut Chapter, sits with Angela and Sergey, to discuss what she has learnt in her career about how to seek alignment and plan for success. 

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In the previous episode, you learned about the inner reasons why people don't develop. Those were all the psychological barriers that keep us in the comfort zone. This episode is about the external factors that will either speed up or slow down your personal growth. Listen in to find out how aligning yourself to the job, to people around you, and to the organizational culture is a leverage point to unlock your development.

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Music credits: Our Big Adventure by Scott Holmes

There are 5 psychological barriers that keep us in the comfort zone. Knowing what those are will help you overcome them. And that's your leverage point.

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Music credits: Our Big Adventure by Scott Holmes

The most complex and saddening involves employees when they feel they have to choose between their career and other important, personal considerations. But it's rarely "now or never." Most often, it's "now or later." Tune in to learn how to know the difference.

Click here to access the tool referenced in this episode.

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Music credits: Funk Game Loop by Kevin MacLeod

Who is a rebel talent and can it help your career? It turns out that breaking rules and pushing boundaries can help you stand out and thrive at work - it can be your leverage point. Francesca Gino from Harvard shares with us her research on self-leadership, curiosity, authenticity, and much more in this rebellious episode.

More about Francesca: https://francescagino.com/

The Rebel Talent book

The Rebel Test: https://www.rebeltalents.org/the-rebel-test 

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Music credits: Funk Game Loop by Kevin MacLeod