How To Run Mutually Beneficial One-On-One Meetings
‘Can we move our one-on-one meeting again?’ A familiar phrase. Many managers have a habit of moving or shying away from these meetings, unsure of how to structure them or how to have challenging conversations.
Employees don’t push to make them happen because many take shelter under the umbrella of ‘no news is good news’ with a fear of negative feedback looming. But a good leader will build a different outlook of what these meetings mean as a valuable tool for both parties.
Getting to know those who report directly to you, in a very real way, is good for business – and morale. One-on-one’s should be more than just unearthing frustrations between performance reviews, they should build trust and relationships.
Align Your Purpose
For these meetings to be constructive, it starts with alignment. Focus on the structure of the meetings and what you and your team want to get out of them.
Are they an opportunity to exchange ideas? A time to address any bottlenecks? A space to discuss career development? You need to know what is happening before the meeting so you can use the time effectively.
Be Present And Actually Listen
If your mind is elsewhere during these meetings, people will see it. Shut your laptop, put your phone away and listen to what your employee is saying.
One-on-one meetings are the most high leverage thing a manager can do to learn about how management and behaviours are directly impacting productivity and efficiency. Be personally invested, the more authentic and open the better.
Discuss Wins And Challenges
Address concerns no matter how uncomfortable – this is the opportunity to do so. Honest communication that holds people accountable rather than shutting them down with no room for discussion is the key to good management.
On the flip side, this is also an opportunity for employee recognition. Useful for lightening up a tricky performance conversation, this is a balancing act that recognises everybody wants to be acknowledged for the hard work they do.
Check In On Culture
At BBT, we have spent the last few months defining our company values, and I expect my team to honour these, myself included.
These meetings are your window into team camaraderie, collaboration and provide key insights into how people are performing and behaving. Use your values as a framework for questions on company culture and you’ll be surprised at the insights you gain.
Ask What You Can Do Better
Feedback is a two-way street so leave your ego at the door. This your chance to understand how you can improve too, and your team are some of the best people to hear it from.
Asking won’t always get you an honest response, but it will show you are interested in supporting them, and once you have that trust, you’ll be able to have open conversations that will see you become a better manager.
Work is busy and we all have a lot going on, but I truly believe one-on-one meetings are vital to how strong leaders mentor and coach. They let people know they are supported, and instill a sense of belonging, as well as boosting staff retention.
So, take the time to make time and see how it benefits you and your team.
