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:
- Explain to your team that you plan to make one-on-ones a top priority.
- Create a cadence. Hold them every week or every month if you’re on a tight schedule.
- Schedule the next six months of 1-on-1s in your calendar.
- Ask each team member to prepare the agenda beforehand.
- 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.
- Try holding informal one-on-ones: in the elevator, the break room, on the way to the parking lot.
- 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.
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