Introduction
One to one meetings are essential for company culture and leadership. They're also incredibly valuable for your team and yourself. But sometimes it can be hard to get the most out of them, especially if you're used to working solo or in a small team environment.
Set a consistent time and place.
It's important to set a consistent time and place for your 1-to-1s. Don't change it every week, don't change it every day and don't even think about changing it at the drop of a hat. If you do, people will get confused and may not show up anymore.
In addition to making sure that you have a consistent meeting schedule, make sure that everyone knows where they need to be so that everyone can arrive on time—this includes both yourself as well as your team members' managers or supervisors if applicable.
Avoid the urge to multi-task
You're not going to be able to multi-task at a 1-to-1 meeting, so make sure you're on time. This sends the signal that ther person in front of you is the priority (and not that another meeting is more important than them. Use the time as an opportunity to focus on one person and really connect with them.
Be prepared for any questions or concerns they might have, but don't feel pressured into answering them immediately—instead, use this opportunity as an opportunity to get to know each other better. Ask questions related to your mutual goal and work together towards a solution together!
Avoid distractions—no phones (other than yours!), no laptops (unless it's a remote meeting), and no snacks! If you need something from outside of the room during your meeting (like fruit), ask someone else in the organization if they can bring it in later so that everyone feels comfortable working together without distractions.
Don't swap them for emails.
The most important thing to remember is that emails are not a good medium for 1 to 1s. In fact, they're the worst possible option for this type of communication. Emails are impersonal and often don't allow for back-and-forth conversations between leaders and their direct reports.
Email also doesn't provide the space for asking questions or giving feedback about an issue that comes up in your meeting—you have to send another email afterwards with those details! And if you do need to ask questions or give feedback on something specific during a meeting, then we recommend using Slack instead because it lets everyone participate in real time while also preserving confidentiality between participants.
Don't use them as status updates.
1 to 1s are not status updates. They are a time to talk about problems and issues, not just what you've done or how your day has been so far.
If you have something specific that needs attention, make sure it's clear in your meeting invitation that the purpose of this meeting is to get things done on the list of items. Don't just say "I'm thinking about what improvements I should make" because then they'll be thinking about how much time they can spend at work without feeling like their efforts aren't appreciated by management.
A 1 to 1 meeting outline for managers
- Show interest: "How did X or Y go?"
- Big picture: Share kudos from senior meeting on impact of project X or comments from SteerCo etc.
- Check in/catch up: "What have you been up to?"
- Roadblocks or issues: "What can I help you with? What's getting in your way?"
- Admin: Upcoming events / dates
- Check for effectivness: "Is there anything I could be doing for you?"
- Getting to know motivations: "Anything I can do better/more often?"
- Development & coaching: "What has been your best day in the last 3 months?"
- Open the conversation: "What would you like to achieve?"
- Anything not covered yet: "Is there anything you'd like to talk about?"
Use the "sandwich technique."
It's worth noting that this isn't any particular 'kind' of sandwich (you may know which famous 80's managment sandwich I refer too here), but in fact a useful way to approach 1:1 meetings and conversations with your colleagues by begining and ending with a high note. It involves starting with something positive, followed by a question about how you can support them in their work, and ending with a positive statement about their work.
For example: "I really like the way that you’re making these changes for us."
- Positive: Start off on the right foot by being genuine and honest about what you appreciate about your colleague's performance so far.
- Support: Ask questions that demonstrate how you would be helpful if they need it (e.g., "Can I get more details on what happened last week when we discussed performance reviews?").
- Positive: End positively by saying something like "Great job".
Provide actionable suggestions.
Provide actionable suggestions.
- What is the best way for you to improve this situation?
- What should I do next, or what steps can we take together as a team?
Conclusion
At the end of the day, 1 to 1 meetings are a tool for leadership and company culture—not just an opportunity for you to get your own work done. They can be great for leadership development by helping you learn about other people and their work, but they also have a huge effect on all levels of the organization. If used well, they can promote collaboration among team members and make everyone feel like a valued member of the team.
