Tell your boss how you want to grow

Don’t freak out if your boss asks “How do you want to grow?” She may be throwing you a curveball, but she’s also giving you an opportunity to participate in a conversation about your professional development, says confidence coach Steve Errey.

He offers three suggestions on what to answer:

1. Pick a challenging, but realistic goal. Organizing the break room fridge is too easy. Solving cold fusion is unrealistic.

2. Keep the answer relevant to your job. Unless you’re a chef, your boss doesn’t care about your dream of making a perfect omelet. How about leading a project or practicing your negotiation skills?

3. Consider now and later. Answer with something you can do almost immediately and something you can grow into over time.

— Adapted from “How to Answer When Your Boss Asks, ‘How Do You Want to Grow?’,” Steve Errey, The Muse.