One-on-One Time

Taking time for individual meetings with employees can strengthen your business

While having dinner with my parents, my dad excused himself to say hello to a former colleague. As he left the table, I asked my mom, “What’s the one thing you can tell me about dad that I don’t know?” Her response: “I learn something new about your father every single day.”

This was on the evening of their 40th anniversary.

People are complex. If you’ve ever taken a personality assessment, you know we all have different propensities, values and motivations.

As a manager, how can you get the most out of people in the workplace? What are ways you create cohesiveness and trust? How can you adapt and adjust to different people problems with dynamic solutions?

One effective management tool is to have individual meetings. They allow you to connect with your employees and build a staff, one person at a time.

If you justify not having these because of your hectic schedule or too many people reporting to you or the demanding needs of your many customers, you’re not the manager you think you are. If, “I do have individual meetings,” is your response, good for you. But review these steps to see if there’s room for improvement.

STEP ONE: MAKE TIME

Having individual meetings every week or two is not always realistic. From personal time to customer crises, schedules can be challenging. Your drivers are running routes; your office staff is collecting bills. Everyone is busy. However, the commitment to scheduled meetings can build morale, and loyalty and show staff development is valued.

But watch out for backfire. If you constantly cancel or miss individual meetings, the clear message to employees is: “Meeting with you is not a priority. Therefore you are not a priority.” Designating time for your staff should be as important as pitching new customers on your septic or grease trap service.

STEP TWO: BE PREPARED

To save time and increase productivity, make sure both parties have submitted discussion points and outcomes before individual meetings via an e-mail or quick discussion. This is more than just an agenda — it involves objectives, updates, challenges, solutions and walk-away duties. Having this prior to the meeting makes everyone accountable.

STEP THREE: MAKE PERSONAL CONNECTIONS

All too often, the only issues discussed during group and individual meetings at work are processes, procedures and quotas. But you’re meeting with people who are driven by personal goals, values and passions. They have a right to be asked how they are doing. Otherwise, crucial areas for performance growth may be ignored.

Let’s say you had individual staff meetings once a month, but once every three to four meetings, you asked some or all of the following questions:

• What are you motivated by?

• What’s the biggest challenge you’re facing?

• What can I do to help you bring your performance results to the highest level?

• What are your aspirations or goals over the next couple of years?

Many bosses don’t ask this type of question because they lack awareness or view these as unnecessary, or they wrongfully assume they know the answers. In group meetings, these questions can be too personal. One-on-one, they give employees a chance to open up, be heard and educate you on how to help them achieve better performance.

STEP FOUR: DOCUMENT AND FOLLOW UP

When employees bring an idea or ask for support on issues and you don’t follow through, you can erode their trust and morale. Bosses don’t intend to hurt or offend employees. They simply don’t capture, confirm and clarify what was exchanged.

It is important to review what was discussed at the end of each meeting and document what actions should be taken by whom, and when. This discipline keeps positive growth moving forward. Timely response is key. Do what you say you’re going to do, when you say you’re going to do it.

BONUS STEP: GET FEEDBACK

It’s curious how annual reviews offer a boss authorization to evaluate employees, but it doesn’t work the other way.

Individual meetings provide you an opportunity to create a safe atmosphere and get validated feedback on your effectiveness as a manager. The argument many employers will make is “employees won’t be honest because they fear retribution.”

This could be true, depending on how the message is delivered. For example, if I say, “John, give me honest feedback on what I should do better,” and deliver this with an aggressive tone, sitting two inches from him while staring at him like a psychopath, I’m unlikely to get helpful feedback.

If I speak with a friendly tone and say, “John, I was hoping you could provide me some feedback on how I can be a more effective employer. But let me first say that the only negative that could come out of this is that I don’t improve because you weren’t honest with me. I’d really appreciate your suggestions.” Wouldn’t this situation be more conducive to honest feedback?

A FINAL WORD

Individual meetings are a phenomenal opportunity. The outcomes can include stronger management, crisp communication, confidence, loyalty and inspired performance.



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