Develop the Person, Not Just the Work
- Cristina Stensvaag
- Aug 11
- 3 min read
Developing someone isn't the same as managing their performance.
August 11, 2026
Originally published in One More Rep, a weekly newsletter for people managers who want to get better through practice. Subscribe here — it's free.
Week 32. Rep 32. Last week you practiced staying with the question during problem-solving conversations. This week we'll talk about taking that into a different type of conversation: one that's about the person, not just the task.
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The Moment
You've been coaching in the moment: catching problem-solving conversations and asking questions instead of giving answers.
But there's a different kind of development conversation that leaders need to have. Not "here's how to handle this situation" but "here's what I'm seeing, and here's what I think you're capable of."
The Pattern
Development conversations tend to get crowded out by performance conversations. Or, they are put off until quarterly, or even annual reviews. There's always something more urgent: a project to debrief, a behavior to address, a goal to check in on.
Things don't slow down, and if you don't prioritize these conversations, you aren't giving your directs the chance to grow.
Why This Matters
Developing someone isn't the same as managing their performance. Performance conversations are about the gap between where they are and where they need to be. Development conversations are about the gap between where they are and where they could go.
That distinction changes how you show up in the conversation. You're not correcting. You're investing.
Rep
This Week's Practice
This week you'll have one deliberate development conversation with a direct that isn't tied to a project or triggered by a performance gap. This conversation is about what you see in them and what you think they're capable of, and where they want to go.
Your Rep
Choose one direct for a development conversation. Before the conversation, write down two things: what you genuinely see as their strongest capability and one area where you think they're playing smaller than they could.
What to Notice
Success looks like:
The conversation is about your direct, not about a task or a project
You name something specific you see in them that they haven't yet heard from you
Resistance looks like:
Turning it into a performance conversation because that feels safer
Picking the direct you have the easiest relationship with instead of the one who needs it most
It's working when:
They leave the conversation knowing you see something in them that they can build toward
Common Mistakes
Mistake #1: Making it vague. "I think you have a lot of potential" is not a development conversation. "I've watched you navigate three difficult client situations this month and I think you're ready for more ownership in that relationship" is. Name what you actually see (think about the Camera Test).
Mistake #2: Skipping the prep. The quality of a development conversation lives in what you bring to it. If you walk in without having thought about what you genuinely see in this person, you'll default to generic encouragement. Write it down first.
Reflect
What did you learn about this person from the conversation that you wouldn't have known without it?
What does it cost your directs when they haven't heard what you genuinely think they're capable of?
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Cristina Stensvaag is co-founder of LeaderReps and creator of One More Rep, a weekly practice-based leadership newsletter for people managers.