10 Expert Tips for Great One-On-One Meetings
Have you ever wondered why some people seem to get more done in their one-on-one meetings than others? It might be because they plan and execute them better. One-on-ones are an important part of any team, and we all must take the time to plan these meetings well to maximize benefits for both parties. One thing that many employees say is a benefit of one-on-ones is that they feel like they have someone who is always on their side and understands what challenges they face day in and day out at work. However, sometimes getting the most out of your one-on-ones can be challenging – which is where this article comes into play! Here are some elements that you can incorporate in your one-on-one meeting templates to make them more effective!
💡 We’ve consulted experts on what they think are the benefits of one-on-one meetings, how to plan them better, and some helpful tips that can help you to get a better understanding of how to conduct one-on-one meetings. If done right, these 10 one-on-one meeting tips will have everyone feeling more fulfilled at work!
(1) Build Trust and Relationship
As a manager, you should be regularly meeting with your direct reports. Not only does this help build trust and relationships between the two of you, but it also helps to keep both parties accountable for their work. As such, managers can get in the habit of doing 1:1 meetings on a regular basis and take advantage of the opportunity to check up on how team members are doing.
In stressful or difficult times, it’s even more important that you take time out of your day to understand what is going through your team’s head and why they might need some support from time to time!
(2) Frequency and Planning
One-on-one meetings are a great way to improve communication and productivity in the workplace. However, it is important that they happen on a regular basis. One-on-ones should be recurring and last 30 minutes to an hour at most. The frequency of one-on-ones can depend on various factors; some employers may find more value in weekly or monthly sessions while others might prefer biweekly meetings.
The best practice for cohesively structuring one-on-one meetings is to meet with your employees individually, set an agenda together, and then give them ownership over their own meeting time by scheduling their own separate one on ones with each other!
(3) Plan agenda ahead
You’ve planned your one-on-one meeting with your employee ahead of time. You have everything you need to get started, including an agenda and necessary one-on-one meeting questions covering the topic. This is going to save you a lot of time and energy while keeping you organized and in the know. It’s also going to feel good to collaborate with your employees to create a list of topics or ideas that will be discussed during this meeting.
💡 Knowing what content needs to be covered before the meeting starts to ensure that it won’t go off track and keeps the focus on what matters most: getting work done!
(4) Keep status discussions to a minimum
Employees need feedback and support to grow in their careers. One-on-one meetings can be a great way to provide this, but only if the meeting is executed correctly. Meetings should not contain any kind of project management or status updates; they should be solely focused on career goals and how your employee is doing within the organization.
(5) Convey the importance of one-on-ones to your staff
Meetings are a necessary evil for most of us. They’re not something we enjoy doing, but they’re still an important part of the workday. If you want your team to participate in meetings more willingly, it’s important that you make the value clear.
(6) Discuss Career plans
Career development can be a touchy subject. No one wants to feel like they are giving up on their dreams of being promoted or given more opportunities, but it’s important to remember that your employees are people too. They have needs outside of work and making sure they are happy at home is just as important as meeting their professional goals.
💡 Creating a better way for your team members to talk about career development in one-on-one meetings will make everyone happier!
(7) Don’t skip your meetings
When you think of meetings, it can be easy to let them slip your mind. You’re busy running the company and managing employees, so meetings are just one more thing on your to-do list that can get pushed aside. But meeting with team members is an important part of business success.
It’s not only a way for you to share information with others who work in different areas or roles within the company, but it also shows your commitment to these individuals—a big factor when people start looking for new jobs.
(8) Empower your employees to lead the meeting
You know when you start to feel like your team members are just looking at the clock, counting down the minutes until their meeting with you is over? If so, it might be because they don’t feel empowered. They may not have any say in what goes on during these meetings. You should really take this into consideration and give team members more power in one-on-one meetings.
As a leader, it is your responsibility to help your team members lead the discussion and guide you through some of the issues that they need help with. You want them to leave feeling better than when they walked in!
(9) Share feedback
In the workplace, there will inevitably be some level of constructive feedback. Constructive feedback is a way for both managers and employees to keep improving themselves in their respective roles. Giving feedback can help people find focus on an area they want to work on or improve.
💡 Keep in mind that your feedback and suggestions should be specific enough so the employee knows what they need to do better next time but general enough so you don’t discourage them from trying again!
(10) Follow-up
When you are in charge of a team, it is important to leave every meeting with clear takeaways. Make sure that the people on your team know what they need to do and why. Follow-up these intents with them after the meeting has ended to make sure that they have a solid understanding of what needs to be done.
💡 The more support you give your direct report, the better off they will be.
Conclusion
In any business, one-on-one meetings are essential. They are an excellent tool to improve workplace productivity by providing a time and space to have an open dialogue that is not possible in the hustle and bustle of the office. They allow workers to express their thoughts and ideas while also providing you the opportunity to give vital constructive criticism. They also help you gain a better understanding of each member of your team and how you can assist them in their development. That being said, it’s not always easy to maintain successful one-on-ones sessions, especially when each employee brings a unique approach, perspective, and experience to the table. If you’re looking for ways to make your one-on-one meeting more effective and meaningful, the above-mentioned One-on-One Meeting Tips will help you.
About huminos
huminos is a comprehensive performance conversations platform that helps your employees to achieve impactful outcomes, even if they are working remotely. Features like OKRs, 1:1 conversations, feedbacks, reflections, and pulse allow you to plan and measure work that really matters to your company.