Meet Ann Conyers, Director of Human Capital at the Pentagon. She’s travelled the world supporting the Department of Defense and has innovated professional development programs for over twenty years to support the nation’s largest employer. 

I was fortunate to sit down with Ann for coffee to get some quick-fire thoughts on how she gets the most out of career conversations. 

What's one question everyone should ask when having a career coffee chat?   

I like to ask if they are where they thought they would be in their career today. Your career can take you down many paths and the most interesting points are where you take divergent paths and make big leaps.

What's an ah-ha moment you had from a coffee chat?

Pat Tamburrino, LMI, told me to find out what as I good at by asking my network. It was very enlightening to get that feedback and realize where I made the most impact. 

Why should leaders have coffee with priority talent? 

Casual conversation creates a comfortable space to be honest and passionate about what motivates those talents, and understanding what their motivations are will help you to be a better leader.

If you could go for a coffee with anyone, who would it be and why? 

John Kennedy. His decisions would be the foundation of our country... Space, education, desegregation, social consciousness! 

Can it be in person, online or both and why?  

Both, they each provide a valuable connection. 

What advice do you have for someone before they meet someone new for a coffee chat? 

Do some research on the person so you know enough to personalize the conversation. 

What's the best way to follow-up after a coffee chat? 

An email with additional conversation about the topics from the coffee chat. 

‍

Ten Thousand Coffees is a people-first enterprise career development platform. We connect people for developmental relationships and informal learning opportunities. 150+ organizations trust Ten Thousand Coffees to scale, automate, and measure winning career development experiences.