The Key to Engagement and Accountability

1-on-1s are key to building high engagement and maintaining accountability. “But,” you say, “We’re too busy! There’s no time for one-on-ones with my team!”

Imagine facing the daily demands of the job, the same demands that make your team too busy to hold 1-on-1s, all without the engagement and accountability that comes from 1-on-1s! It’s like being too busy driving to stop for gas. Things will come to a grinding halt.

Make 1-on-1s part of your leadership toolkit with these seven steps and keep the wheels turning on your team:

1. Explain to your team that you plan to make one-on-ones a top priority.
2. Create a cadence. Hold them every week or every month if you’re on a tight schedule.
3. Schedule the next six months of 1-on-1s in your calendar.
4. Ask each team member to prepare the agenda beforehand.
5. Never cancel. A canceled one-on-one signals to your team they’re not important.  If something comes up, reschedule the one-on-one later that same day.
6. Try holding informal one-on-ones: in the elevator, the break room, on the way to the parking lot.
7. Make sure to clarify next steps before the one-on-one ends. This sets a precedence for accountability.

When you treat one-on-ones as sacred and conduct them effectively, you’ll be surprised by how much they contribute to a high-performing culture.