Studies confirm that career development is the most powerful tool managers have for driving retention, engagement, productivity, and results. It's the sustainable competitive advantage that will distinguish the winners from the losers. Nevertheless, it's frequently back-burnered. Managers say the number one reason is that they just don't have time-for the meetings, the forms, the administrative hoops. But there's a better way: frequent short conversations with employees about their career goals and options integrated into the normal course of business. The authors identify three broad types of conversations that will increase employees' awareness of their strengths, weaknesses, and interests; point out where their organization and their industry are headed; and help them pull all of that together to design their own up-to-the-minute, personalized career plans. Offers practical tips, guidelines, and templates, as well as nearly a hundred suggested conversation questions.