For many companies in Australia and NZ it’s that time of year again – performance reviews. You might roll your eyes just thinking about this sometimes-painful process, but it can be an opportunity to take stock, see what needs to be developed, and to plot a path to a better, more effective you in 12 months time.

But how do you ensure come your next review that you can show your progression over the past year? You’ve probably walked away from your review with a score, some feedback, and a broad list of things to work on, but now what? If you want to be better at your role, how do you tangibly go about it?

Because development is unique to the individual, there’s no one-size-fits-all approach. For you, the skills gap might be more effective communication. For Karen from finance, it might be conflict resolution skills. For Peter in sales, it might be working on his confidence.

And no matter whether you’re a junior manager or a senior executive, every level of development is about one thing – change. And change can be uncomfortable, confusing, confronting or challenging because it almost always takes us outside of our comfort zone in some way.

That’s why, if we want to be truly successful in creating sustainable lasting progress in our career, we need support. That’s the key ingredient so many people miss and why they don’t get a handle on their role or move ahead in their career as fast as they want to.

That support could be from a qualified coach, a learning and development expert, a peer, or someone from your HR department.

At Tactician, we’re huge advocates of coaching as an invaluable support for the development process – both in defining what you specifically need, planning how you’re going to get it, and implementing what you’ve learnt.

But let’s address the elephant in the room… you might hear the word ‘coaching’ and cringe as you imagine holding hands in a trust circle! Maybe that’s what it’s like in some places, but that’s not the way we do it.

We are Tacticians by name and by nature, because we know that in your day-to-day work life, you need practical, tactical guidance – not navel gazing. So that’s exactly what we deliver.

Here are some of the core ways we often see high-level leaders using coaching, or guidance as we call it, to further their career:

Crafting a bespoke plan

Your path to fulfilling your role or taking on the next one isn’t going to be like someone else’s. So having an L&D professional help you to identify what you really need is invaluable to creating a unique plan that delivers the training and experiences that will help you achieve your development goals.

Building confidence in yourself or your role

Of course, you want to come across as confident, but everyone from CEOs to middle managers experience self-doubt and second-guessing (even if we don’t admit it out loud). Having a confidential place to talk through your plans, or brainstorm how to approach a situation differently, can give you the confidence boost you need to execute effectively.

Normalising a fear of failure

To progress and grow in our roles often requires trying new things – and what can make that hard is a fear of failure (it’s one of our 7 common Fear Factors). Having someone in your corner for those challenging moments, who can help you brush yourself off, learn from your experiences, and figure out what to do next, can keep you moving forward.

Providing a fresh perspective

A fresh set of eyes is invaluable when you’re stuck in a problem and need help to unpack what’s going on. An experienced confidante can provide a different point of view, a reality check or the come to Jesus moment you need when dealing with things like restructures, difficult workplace relationships or new managers.

Staying accountable and on track

When work gets even busier and priorities change, your performance progress can be pushed to the back burner. Having regular check-ins with someone where that IS the focus, can help you stack on track to becoming that well-rounded leader you’re aiming for.

These are some of the core ways we support leaders to hit their development goals. Because achieving them isn’t about drastic change, but about incremental progress.

It’s asking the question, what’s the 1% change I can make every day to get me where I want to go?

That’s what we’re about at Tactician, and that’s what we support in our on-demand guidance – small, consistent changes that ensure that this time next year you are waltzing into your review knowing you’ve nailed your development goals and you’re ready for the next step.

If that’s the kind of support you’d love to have over the next 12 months, take a look at our on-demand coaching packages, email us at enquiries@tactician.net.au or call us on 1300 110 165.