Barry David Moore — November 19, 2019 The often neglected personal one on one meeting is important for many reasons. Ultimately it enables you to connect on a level with that person that you cannot do in a team meeting environment.
I personally believe that a great team is built from great one on ones, then great team meetings and then proving that as a team you can deliver astounding results.
The aged business textbooks, business schools, and average managers will tell you that the one on one meeting is the best way to chase your employees and ensure they are doing the work that they should in the way you want them to do it. But that could not be further from the truth.
The goal of any great leader is to build a strong confident & engaged team, who can perform to the highest levels and make great decisions, knowing they have your support
Having a team that performs at its best, means you have more time to focus on strategy and future planning and the team focus on delivering the results.
Why Is A One To One Meeting Important?
The often neglected personal one on one meeting is important for many reasons. Ultimately it enables you to connect on a level with that person that you cannot do in a team meeting environment.
I personally believe that a great manager, builds a high performing team from engaging one on one meetings, then great team meetings and then proving that as a team you can deliver astounding results.
Benefits Of A One On One Meeting For The Manager
Whether you are a manager, director, vice president or CEO of a company, you cannot and should not skip your personal meetings with your direct staff. If you do, you will miss out on a wealth of information and your opportunity to develop motivated employees and the next generation of leaders.
It all starts with a conversation.
1. You have the opportunity to speak directly with the employee.
If your only contact with a member of staff is on the office floor or in the team meeting, then you are missing out on the level of conversation and interaction you need to form a relationship. I am not talking about a deep and meaning personal relationship, I am talking about a professional relationship with a respect for the individual. There are simply topics that cannot and should not be discussed in a multi-person setting.
2. You can connect on a personal level.
Never underestimate the importance of the personal connection. You do not need to know what the person ate for breakfast, nor do you want to know how they contracted that sexually transmitted disease, somewhere in between is ideal. Too personal and everyone thinks you are their best friend; too impersonal everyone will not feel comfortable with you. Strike the right balance and personal connection and you are able to build trust.
Never start a one on one meeting with business, ask them genuinely “how they are and how is the family?” they are human too.
3. You can get a feel for the current politics and conflicts within the team.
Talking within a secure environment allows team members to express if they are experiencing harassment or negative political infighting within the team. This can enable you to establish plans start to eradicate unprofessional behavior in the team.
4. You can get regular updates on their work.
You should ask for an update on their work but allow them to prioritize what they talk about. The question “what would you like to discuss” is open-ended enough to allow them to go through their updates. In your mind or on paper you should know the critical activities they are working on, so if they have not covered them ensure to make time at the end of the meeting.
5. You can coach them to success.
Some people simply need to know they are on the right track. The act of coaching is not to tell people what to do and how to do it, but in effect, it is the art of helping people draw their own conclusions and giving them constructive feedback on how to reach that conclusion. If you give people the time and helpful guidance to come to the right conclusion, it feeds their self-confidence. Also, by helping them along during the decision-making and problem-solving process you are also instilling in them your personal and professional values. Always be respectful and help them get to that decision.
If you do it right, they will follow you and be your supporter. Why? Because they know you support them, and you want them to be successful.
Originally published here.
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