Growth tips 30 seconds to business enlightenment.
Management 1 on 1
24-Feb-2011
Weekly team meetings are vital to share information, make decisions, and
align your team to strategy execution – but the subtleties of each
individual’s personal needs are not able to be fully addressed in a team
meeting.
A key success discipline that great managers practice is to also
schedule a regular weekly 1 on 1 meeting with each of their direct
reports.
This is a brief meeting with a specific agenda. Other meetings
(including casual conversations / coffees / brainstorming) that you have
with a team member during the week are all good, but do not replace the
1 on 1 meeting. That’s because the Management 1 on 1 meeting is
focused solely on that individual, and how you as a manager can best
support them in the execution of their current strategic priorities.
Yes, it takes time to have 1 on 1 meetings with your team members. Like
many success habits, this falls into the “important” but “not urgent”
category. It takes discipline to stick to a regular 1 on 1 meeting
schedule – but the payoffs for both parties are worth the effort.
Schedule it in both of your calendars and make it happen.
Some suggestions to make it work:
- Establish an agenda and time limit and stick to it. Keep the meeting brief and focused.
- Both parties must come to the meeting prepared with the updated information you need to discuss the current reality.
- Briefly discuss each project they are accountable for and get a status update. Are they on schedule to have it completed by the due date?
- Briefly discuss each Key Performance Indicator they are accountable for and get a status update. The score doesn’t lie. What is happening here?
- Ask them what tangible action they will “complete” this week to move things forward (or address any issues that have been identified). Confirm that you both agree with the chosen action and capture this in writing (e.g. enter it as one of their tasks).
- Ask them what support or resources they need from you to help them succeed in this task?
- Ask if there any other issues that they would like to raise? How are they feeling? What’s going on in their life right now?
- Share any issues or feelings you would like to raise. Performance reviews are not an annual thing. Let your people know every week how they are performing, and demonstrate your commitment to helping them succeed.
- Finish on a high note. Find something they are doing well and acknowledge it.
Do you conduct weekly 1 on 1 meetings with your direct reports? Give it a try. You may find it will help both parties to better understand each other, stay focused on the important issues - and greatly improve your business execution.
Thank you.
Cheers
Stephen
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At your weekly management meeting (you do have one don't you?) - share the latest Growth Tip with your team and ask the question: "How can we apply this information in our business?"
Commit to taking some form of action. You will be glad you did.
34531334269947::RESULTS.com | The Missing 98%
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| Date | 21-May-2012 |
The other nice thing about doing this each and every week is that it gives you a chance to knock out at least 9 of the items on Gallup's Q12.
As you know, they've proven through research that if you nail the 12 items on Q12 you'll have more engaged employees which means more profit and ultimately less stress for the business owner.
Good stuff! Keep it coming!