Employee development involves more than annual reviews. Real growth that benefits both the staff and the organization requires regular conversation. In this issue of TD at Work, Julie Haddock-Millar and David Clutterbuck describe five types of conversations that can help employees, managers, and talent development professionals align their goals and future plans and make better decisions. Good conversations do not necessarily come naturally, and the guidance provided in "5 Critical Conversations to Talent Development" will help all stakeholders have more fruitful conversations about their work. In this issue, you will find:

• seven levels of conversation that lead to deeper dialogue

• case studies of conversations in practice

• sample questions to promote dialogue

• strategies for supporting critical conversation

• guidance for preparing for and assessing developmental conversations.