The 3-Part Framework for Strategic Conversations
Strategic conversation is how managers motivate their team members, improve performance, solve complex problems, and address issues. In short, conversation is how business gets done.
Despite the critical role that conversation plays in leading employees, managers often simply aren’t having these conversations, usually for one or more of the following reasons:
Their organizational culture is collegial and friendly, which can be a great thing—but can lead managers to avoid confrontation rather than address an issue directly.
They’re not confident in their ability to have these conversations because they don’t know how to say the right words at the right time in order to create a positive outcome.
They’ve given up on having difficult conversations with their team members because they feel like it doesn’t make a difference.
They simply don’t know that they need to be having these conversations.
In helping managers develop and implement strategic conversation skills, we use a simple, 3-part framework they can use to have the conversations confidently and effectively so they can:
Clarify priorities with their team members and create a sense of urgency around high-priority issues.
Connect their work to key business goals.
Train, coach, develop their team members’ skills and capabilities.
Redirect team members when they get off track.
Identify obstacles that team members are experiencing and help them overcome those obstacles.
Help team members solve problems so that they stay solved.
Energize team members and prevent burnout.
Empower them to take ownership of their job.
The ALT Framework
The ALT Framework is a simple, 3-part process managers can use to conduct effective conversations with their team members:
Part 1 - Ask: Managers start the conversation by asking open-ended questions that elicit in-depth answers and open the flow of information.
Part 2 - Listen: Managers then listen actively to a team member’s responses and dig deeper by asking follow-up questions.
Part 3 - Tell: Finally, managers offer direction and guidance, which may include sharing their own experience or suggesting solutions.
Following this process, managers can ensure that the conversation will produce a positive outcome by identifying specific action items and getting commitment from the team member about taking those action steps.
Part 1: Ask
Asking refers to starting the conversation with open-ended questions that support a manager’s goals for the discussion. For example, if changing an employee’s behavior in a specific way is the objective of the conversation, then asking the right questions is the first step on that path.
Many managers understand the importance of asking open-ended questions when having conversations with their direct reports, but they need to understand the purpose of asking those questions:
Get information and understand their team member’s thought process.
Elicit ideas, opinions, perspectives, and suggestions.
Influence thought process and behavior.
Diagnose the issue at hand and discover opportunities, needs, and problems.
Empower and encourage personal accountability.
However, a manager’s ability to achieve these goals in a conversation depends on the questions they ask. In teaching the ALT Framework, we coach managers through the process of asking open-ended questions that open the flow of information rather than restrict it.
For example, if a manager is addressing a performance issue with an employee, asking a closed-ended question such as, “Are you having any difficulties with this project?”, will likely result in a yes/no answer rather than one that helps the manager diagnose the issue. But if the manager asks an open-ended question like, “What obstacles are you running into with this project?”, the manager is much likelier to get an answer that helps them understand what’s going on and what kind of support their employee may need.
Part 2: Listen
Listening refers to what happens after asking an open-ended question. It includes not only actively listening to an employee’s response, but also asking follow-up questions to dig deeper.
In teaching the ALT Framework, we work with managers on several concrete listening skills, including focusing their attention on their employee and reflecting back what they’re hearing. This type of deep listening is important:
It ensures that managers truly understand what their employees are telling them. On one level, it reduces the chance of miscommunication, but on a deeper level, it helps managers more effectively identify and internalize the core message they’re receiving.
It builds trust between managers and their employees. When an employee feels heard and understood, they’re more likely to be open to feedback and guidance from their manager.
Additionally, it’s critical that managers ask follow-up questions to dig deeper, which means asking deeper questions in response to their employees’ response rather than accepting an answer and moving on to the next topic.
For example, if a manager asks a question such as, “What obstacles are you running into with this project?,” follow-up questions to their initial response may include, “What do you think is causing this obstacle?”, or “What solutions have you considered?”
Asking follow-up questions such as these helps managers better diagnose the issue, while prompting employees to think more deeply about the situation and possible solutions.
Part 3: Tell
Telling refers to what managers communicate after asking and listening. It is more focused on offering insight than solving the problem for employees.
One tool managers can use in this part is to share their own experience, including what they’ve learned along the way. When managers solve problems for their employees, the solutions they offer are almost always informed by their own experience. The difference here is that managers are communicating that experience and what they learned rather than just telling them what to do.
Another tool managers can use is to suggest solutions to employees. Suggesting solutions can be a great approach because it leaves employees with a certain amount of agency to make the decision on their own. When employees have that agency, they are more likely to commit and take ownership of their chosen solution.
Finally, an important part of telling is for managers to give positive encouragement and feedback. Even when addressing a difficult performance issue, it’s critical for managers to motivate and inspire employees in this way.
The ALT Framework is the Key to Effective Conversations
We’ve heard time and time again from managers we’ve worked with that when managers implement this simple framework, they’re immediately more equipped to have confident and effective conversations with their employees—even on difficult performance-based issues.
