by Kate Zabriskie, president
Business Training Works, Inc.
There are only two of us in my department. Why should I bother with a formal meeting? We sit right across from each other.
I tried meeting individually with my direct reports, but they had nothing to talk about. Besides, we’re all adults. We know what we’re supposed to be doing at work.
I see my direct report about once a month, and that’s usually at a larger meeting or when we’re passing each other in the hallway. I have no idea what he does. At review time, I rely on other people to tell me.
Without trying too hard, it’s easy for many managers to compile a long list of reasons not to meet with the people they supervise. But, guess what? The volume of reasons does not outweigh the value and importance of a regularly scheduled conversation with a direct report.
Benefits of regular one-on-one meetings
If used correctly, managers and employees can enjoy many benefits by meeting one on one.
- Visible appreciation: Time is currency. If managers carve out time for their people and are prepared when they meet, they show they value their direct reports.
- Better thinking: Regular one-on-one meetings give managers and employees space to step away from the urgent and immediate and to think more holistically and strategically about work, goals and development opportunities.
- Stronger results: Accountability tends to improve when people have an opportunity or a requirement to report on their progress.
The perfect one-on-one
Once a manager has bought into the value of one-on-one meetings, the next step is to execute them in a way that works for the manager and the employee. Good one-on-one meetings are not one-size-fits-all activities. That said, there are a few guidelines that can make these meetings successful.
- Pick a schedule and stick to it. One-on-ones shouldn’t disappear from the calendar simply because something else suddenly comes up.
- Choose a frequency that makes sense. For some people, meeting once a month may be enough. For others, meeting weekly may be more appropriate. Every relationship is different. Furthermore, circumstances evolve. Depending on what’s happening inside and outside of the organization, an employee’s needs could change drastically. Meeting frequency should be evaluated at least annually.
- Follow a written agenda. Well-run meetings are not free-for-all conversations. They follow an agenda, just as any other good meeting does. A one-on-one meeting agenda might include such topics as current projects, progress on yearly development goals, workday challenges and so forth.
- Put employees in the driver’s seat by having them manage and document the agenda. As a manager, you may create the initial agenda format. But, once you do, your employees should take ownership of the documents associated with the scheduled meetings.
Troubleshooting
One-on-one meetings rarely go from nonexistent or dysfunctional to perfect overnight. For that reason, managers should prepare to overcome a variety of obstacles.
Obstacle 1: Employees question the new meeting.
Solution: Reduce the surprise factor.
If a manager has never held one-on-one meetings, they might come as an unpleasant surprise to employees. To avoid feelings of uncertainty, confusion or worse, socialize the idea before loading the calendar with dates. “This year, I would like to focus more on individual development. Within the next week or two, please expect to see a meeting request from me on your calendar. I believe we will all benefit if I spend time with each of you individually at regularly scheduled intervals. How often we will meet will depend on each of your needs and what we decide together.”
Obstacle 2: An employee doesn’t take charge of the meeting.
Solution: Show them how.
A good agenda can go a long way toward making the conversation flow. Although employees should have ultimate responsibility for keeping the agenda, this may take time. In the beginning, managers may have to model what they want to see. “For our first few meetings, I’ll prepare the agenda. Once we’ve found our groove, my plan is to turn it over to you to own. This means you’ll add to it between meetings and bring a copy for you and me when we meet.”
Obstacle 3: An employee gives short or general answers to questions.
Solution: Get specific.
The more focused a manager’s questions are, the better the conversation tends to be. For example, instead of asking “what are you working on,” a manager might say, “tell me about the project that is going best right now and why that is.”
Obstacle 4: An employee seems unresponsive.
Solution: Leverage silence.
When managers don’t get immediate feedback, they sometimes mistake silence for non-responsiveness. It’s important for managers to remember they already know the questions. The employee is hearing them for the first time and may need some time to digest and think about what’s being asked. Instead of rephrasing questions that don’t produce an immediate answer, managers need to get comfortable with letting silence sit in the room.
Reevaluate
Like anything, one-on-one meetings can get stale. It’s important to look at the format and frequency from time to time and to solicit feedback regarding what’s working and what isn’t. If the organization has fallen out of the habit of holding regular one-on-one meetings or if employees are not getting all they could from them, now is the time to take another look.
Kate Zabriskie is the president of Business Training Works, Inc., a Maryland-based talent development firm. She and her team help businesses establish customer service strategies and train their people to live up to what’s promised. For more information, visit www.businesstrainingworks.com.