To be an effective manager who successfully leads others, you need to engage in frequent and open communication with your individual team members. You can accomplish this with one-on-one meetings that you hold regularly and consistently, on a weekly or bi-weekly basis.
Why It Matters
One-on-one meetings with your individual team members provide an opportunity for you to connect and drive the action forward for individual development and company objectives. It’s a personal approach that cultivates engagement, ownership, and job satisfaction.
How It’s Done
Ultimately, you set the direction for the team, however, it’s best to approach one-on-ones as the team member’s time, letting them lead the conversation.
Best Practices for One-on-Ones
Research has pointed us towards best practices for conducting one-on-ones. These are not rules or absolutes, only guidelines.
- Weekly meetings are optimal; bi-weekly at least. Aim for regularity and consistency.
- Keep meetings short – 30 minutes; 20-45 minutes is the typical range.
- The team member owns the agenda. As manager, you have 20% ownership for questions, feedback, updates, etc.
- Let your team member do most of the talking. Limit your talking time to 20% or less of the meeting. That may involve asking “what” questions, coaching, offering support. It’s about empowering them to take ownership.
- You know 100% of the names of their immediate family members. This is not a rule, but it speaks to the idea that it’s important to know each team member as a whole person, beyond simply seeing them as the role they play at work. It’s about making meaningful connections.
- You know what drives/motivates each one of your direct reports; you understand their values This important information helps you to leverage their strengths, and to guide and support them. Notice their values that come up in your conversations. Consider doing a values activity as a team, in which you all share your values and interests (yours included).
Tone and spirit of the one-on-one
- Both the team member and the manager should state their intentions at the beginning of the meeting.
- Energize the meeting by being engaged and caring.
- Listen with curiosity.
- Acknowledge and appreciate the team member and their contribution(s). When you point out things you appreciate, they will do them more often.
- Use “what” questions to go deeper, and if needed, restate what the team member is saying to make sure you understand.
- Brainstorm new ideas, with both you and your team member on equal footing.
- Remember that all people are creative and resourceful. Look for the bright spots.
- While you should respect your boundaries as manager and team member, allow for a relationship that is caring and meaningful.
- Create a common ground of personal connection through mutually sharing about who you are and life outside of work.
- Offer feedback and coaching to help team members grow personally and professionally.
PRACTICE
Coaching questions for a simple one-on-one:
- What’s on your mind?
- What do you want to take away from this meeting today?
If the meeting feels stuck, try a few of these questions to encourage dialogue with your team members:
- What’s been your biggest success in the last 2 weeks?
- What’s been your biggest challenge?
- What’s the one rock in the road that you feel you have to keep stepping over?
- Where are you taking your foot off the gas in the business?
- For you to become more effective in your role, what’s one thing you could change?
- What’s the most important thing to you about your job?
- How can I support you?
- What are you most proud of this week?
- What is causing you stress this week
- What can I do to help?
RESOURCES
www.radicalcandor.com/effective-one-on-ones
www.lattice.com/library/10-questions-to-ask-employees-during-remote-one-on-ones
