Effective One-On-One Meetings
Whether it is guiding employees through their career path, ensuring business needs are met, or just doing a quick check-in, the best way to effectively manage employees is through one-on-one meetings.
During my time of managing employees and coaching managers, I have often heard employees express how their managers “go through the motions” of their scheduled check-in meetings. It could include repeatedly going over day- to-day tasks, immediate projects due, or informing the employee that the meeting will need to be rescheduled. Employees need more depth to their regularly one-on-one meetings. Employees want to feel valued, heard, and capable of doing work outside of their scope of work.
On the flip side, managers are challenged with their own time constraints in preparing for a one on one, not knowing how to effectively manage their employees outside of their day to day activities. It has also been a challenge to have the ongoing and structured meetings needed to gain more insights into employees.
Managers who are most successful in managing employees consistently execute best practices. Because there is no one size fits all approach to effectively managing employees, the key is to get started! Start with regular scheduled meetings (rarely missed) that is primarily focused on the team member. Involve notes and consistent follow up. Then as time progresses, start focusing on bigger picture items with your employees (e.g. career goals).
Having effective team meetings takes time, preparation, organization, and commitment. As a manager, here are some questions to help you prepare for your next one-on-one meetings:
What do my follow up notes say I need to check on? Am I committed to the follow up? What notes do I need to make during this meeting?
What do I need to be sure to communicate during our time together? What behaviors of this team member am I focusing on? What projects/work am I involved in with this team member? What organizational issues/news/efforts can or should I share? What common items do I need to get from all my team members—about schedules, workload, or our team?
What positive feedback can I give?
What is some adjusting feedback am I going to give, if any?
Is there something I can delegate to this team member to help him/her grow or have more responsibility?
Beginning questions that can be useful in effective one-on-one meetings are:
Tell me about what you’ve been working on.
Tell me about your work—what has it been like?
Tell me how I can be most helpful to you during this meeting?
What big picture issue do you want to work toward?
What do you find motivating and challenging about your work?
Adapted from Managers Tools.Com and Harvard Managers Guide