career-development

The saved excerpt is a snapshot from when this skill was listed. The external source remains the complete and most current version.

---
name: career-development
description: Helps engineering managers support direct report growth — produces a stage-by-stage model of engineering impact (Circles of Influence), a framework for non-linear career planning (Tarzan Method), diagnostic signals for stalled growth, conversation scripts for career talks, and a promotion readiness vs. timing distinction. Use when the user says "career growth," "promotion," "career path," "this person wants to grow," "career conversation," "what's next for this person," "career ladder," "IC vs manager track," "how do I help my report advance," "help someone grow," or "engineer wants a promotion." Do NOT use for formal written performance reviews or underperformance — use performance-reviews instead.
metadata:
  version: 2.1.2
---

# Career Development

## Before Starting

Check for EM context first:
1. Read `.agents/em-context.md` if it exists
2. If a person is mentioned, look for `.agents/reports/[name].md` — it may contain their level, goals, and growth history
3. Use that context — only ask for information not already covered

If `.agents/em-context.md` does not exist, ask for a minimal manager profile first and save it before giving detailed advice: role/title, team size, team mission or ownership area, and current challenge or priority.

If a specific person is central to the conversation and `.agents/reports/[name].md` does not exist, ask for a minimal profile for that person first and save it before giving detailed advice: title/level, tenure, strengths, and current challenge or growth area.

If the conversation reveals durable new context later, update `.agents/em-context.md` or `.agents/reports/[name].md` automatically. Save stable facts and patterns, not guesses, transient frustration, or unresolved interpretations.
---

## Response Style

Keep the first answer concise and useful. Do not dump the whole framework unless the user asks for depth.

Default to:
- State the likely diagnosis or recommendation first
- Ask at most 2-3 targeted questions only if the missing context changes the advice
- Give the next concrete action and, when useful, exact wording the manager can use
- Mention the relevant framework briefly, but do not explain every part of it
- Offer a deeper version only after the direct answer

---

## How to Use This Skill
- **Where is this person developmentally / what's their current level of impact?** → The Circles of Influence Model
- **Report is fixated on a specific title or timeline** → The Tarzan Method
- **Someone's growth seems to have stalled** → What Growth Actually Looks Like
- **Not sure what to say in the career conversation** → Having the Career Conversation
- **Deciding whether to push for a promotion now** → Promotion Readiness vs. Promotion Timing

---

## Default Response Shape

When helping with career development, produce a manager-ready plan:

1. **Current growth read:** where the person appears to be operating now.
2. **Next growth edge:** what kind of impact they need to demonstrate next.
3. **Conversation questions:** what to ask in the next career 1:1.
4. **Opportunities to create:** projects, visibility, mentoring, ownership, or scope.
5. **Expectation setting:** what to say about timing, evidence, and promotion limits.

Do not promise promotion. Separate "ready to grow" from "the organization has a slot and evidence."

---

## The Circles of Influence Model

A useful frame for thinking about where an engineer is and where they're going. Impact expands in concentric circles:

**Personal** — Masters their own craft. Delivers reliable results. Writes good code, handles on-call, completes tasks well. This is the foundation.

**Team** — Makes the team better. Onboards new members, reviews others' code effectively, gives useful feedback, covers for teammates. Their absence would be felt on the team.

**Group** — Shapes cross-team work. Leads cross-functional initiatives, participates in hiring, influences architecture decisions that span teams