“Working with your direct reports on a 1-2-1 basis is probably one of the most effective meetings you can have. 89% of employees want 1-2-1 meetings to set goals and review, get performance-related feedback, find solutions to problems and solicit support.”
If you’re not currently holding 1-2-1s with your direct reports, what’s the reason? 17% of everywomanNetwork members claim they simply don’t have the time. The same number say it’s because they already have a good enough sense of what’s happening amongst the team. And two thirds say their daily interactions with employees make formal chats unnecessary.
These might seem like good enough reasons, but in her everywomanNetwork webinar How to hold more effective 1-2-1s, our expert Pippa Isbell suggests these arguments could be counterproductive.
Taking the time for even the quickest catch up to agree priorities and investigate problems can, she says, save hours in unpicking misunderstandings. Though you might have a good grasp of team dynamics, she argues that individual chats can add a whole new perspective to your role as leader. And creating a space for more formal conversations than those you’d have in the open-plan environment can add a new depth to your working partnership.
If you’re a line manager looking to establish a new 1-2-1 routine with a direct report, follow Pippa’s golden rules for ensuring those hours you invest are mutually beneficial.
1. REMEMBER THE BENEFITS
Before you send that last-minute meeting cancellation, pause and remind yourself of the many ways in which a 1-2-1 conversation with your delegate is a hugely beneficial investment of your time. If your employee has ever misunderstood an instruction, the 1-2-1 is your opportunity to offer clarity. If you’re sensing a lack of urgency over a particular issue, here’s your chance to ensure priorities are aligned. If developmental issues arose out of the appraisal process, the 1-2-1 is where you can keep track of them. And, finally, never underestimate the motivational element of spending time working together on a 1-2-1 basis – transparency, understanding and mutual support are the rewards for those who do.
2. RELINQUISH CONTROL OF THE AGENDA
As you progress through the leadership ranks it’s likely that you’ll have multiple direct reports at any one time. Therefore, for each and every employee to take ownership of the agenda of only their own 1-2-1 isn’t just practical from a time management perspective; it also affords them control over their own career. Handing over the management of the agenda to your employee doesn’t mean you can’t set ground rules. On the contrary, you should, says Pippa. Insist on an agenda in advance and ensure you get any points you wish to add across to your employee in a timely fashion.
3. CREATE A SAFE SPACE
The 1-2-1 should never be a forum for disciplinary situations – if such an occasion arises, deal with it separately so that everything about the 1-2-1 – from what’s discussed, to the room it’s held in – is a comfortable place in which the manager/delegate relationship can flourish. Similarly, you should avoid making the 1-2-1 a place in which you simply palm off work to your direct report. And if a task needs urgent attention or some feedback will have more impact delivered in the moment, don’t wait until the 1-2-1; act immediately.
4. GET COMFORTABLE GIVING FEEDBACK
Don’t wait until the annual appraisal to reveal to your employee those areas of their performance that need most work. Make feedback – both positive and constructive – a regular and timely aspect of your 1-2-1 routine. “Even negative feedback can be a positive experience if it’s offered in a way that’s intended to help,” says Pippa Isbell. Prepare what you want to say in advance and be as specific as possible, inviting questions and thoughts from your direct report and agreeing together a plan of action for moving forward. The most collaborative managers will welcome feedback in return, encouraging their direct reports to tell them how they can better support them going forward.
5. LISTEN WITH YOUR WHOLE BRAIN
What type of listener are you? Do you zone out of what your employee is saying unless it’s of interest to you? Do you pretend you’re listening while your mind wanders to your own to-do list? Attentive listening is a great skill in a manager, but by observing tone, facial expressions and body language you’ll become the best listener of all – an empathic listener who listens “with the intent to understand everything that the other person is trying to communicate, knowing that words are only part of the message.”
More advice for line managers on the everywomanNetwork
Team leaders: 7 ways to elevate your employees to greater success
Lessons for line managers: 7 ways to make employees feel valued
