[sudhirj]

Similar experience here. People want "growth", but that's an abstract word. In the context of a employer-employee relationship, that usually means growth in compensation and rank from the employer, and the enablement of some kind of valuable work from the employee.

Managers need to align the two, if that's not done well most of these goals become nonsensical. As one example someone had ML as a goal despite it not being used in the company, so I found one part of the system where it would be useful and put them on that part time. Product got better with an ML component, senior management was impressed with the result and new capabilities, employee got to learn the new hotness, also got promoted.

Doesn't always have to be so much win-win-win all around, definitely needs effort put into alignment.