I’m sure one of your major responsibilities as an effective leader is having routine one-on-one meetings with your team members. At times, these connects might lack planning and concentration. With that in mind, I’m writing this blog which is going to outline some benefits of one-on-one meetings and tips for having inspiring and fruitful one-on-one meetings. Without further ado, let’s jump in!
Tips for productive one-on-one meetings
- Include it on the calendar: Regularly cancelling or postponing your one-on-one meetings is a no-no. Choose days of the week and times of the day where conflicting meetings or events will be less probable.
- Craft a plan: Be prepared with what you’d like to discuss. Spend a few minutes prior to the meeting to pen what you want to achieve. Let your team member know that they should enter the meeting prepared too. Create an agenda that works for both of you.
- Focus on your team member: Stay focused and interactive during the meeting. Avoid getting distracted by your emails, text messages, or other calls while the meeting is on.
- Emphasise strengths: Very often, managers think their role is to give feedback about what the team member needs to improve. Well, you should definitely give constructive feedback, but it’s a great idea to first comment on strengths and then comment on where additional support can help.
- Acknowledge wins: Be sure to acknowledge their achievements. I’m sure you will agree when I say that there is nothing as enthusing as a manager’s words of praise.
- Specify required results: Be less focused on how your team member achieves the result. Be as clear as possible when you describe the outcomes of the tasks you assign them.
- Ask good questions: Don’t interrogate! A conversation is the best way to go. The questions you ask should give you the opportunity to acknowledge excellent decisions, actions, or results.
- Share information that matters: Team members appreciate listening to the information you have learned in your own team meetings. It might contain company news and information that is relevant to them.
- Dwell on the future: If they are experienced, let them take some time to describe what they plan to do. In case you want to do a review of a past project or event, a team meeting with everyone involved is generally a better option.
- Offer to help: Part of being a good manager is asking your team member how you can extend support to them. This helps them see you as a considerate and approachable manager.
Now let’s dwell on the benefits of having one-on-one meetings.
Benefits of one-on-one meetings
Here are some ways in which these meetings improve how work is done:
- Opportunities to communicate – New company aims, fresh processes, and other updates like these on the meeting agenda keep team members up to date with the happenings in the organization. The consistent communication can also help your team feel comfortable with you, which in turn helps you stay current with tasks.
- Better teamwork – Communicating and collaborating become a habit among co-workers, thanks to one-on-ones. Through these, your team can report progress and receive clear instructions for upcoming priorities.
- More productivity – Weekly check-ins save the time spent on composing emails and tracking information. They offer an excellent overview of current progress. This helps your team be more productive. On a related note, if you would like to learn about time management skills, give this blog a read.
- Enhanced morale – Great conversations lead to more engagement. A regular one-on-one check-in serves as a coaching session for the team member. It is also a chance for you to applaud their contributions to the team and make them feel like an integral part of the team.
I hope you find the tips in this blog handy as you navigate the journey of making your weekly connects more meaningful and motivating! Send us an email in case you’d like to share your suggestions and visit us at Nitor Infotech to learn more about us.
