Every time I talk to a manager and they tell me they are not meeting with their employees one on one, I feel they are missing a very important opportunity and cheating their staff. People tend to say that they talk to their employees all the time, several times a day, even. But that is not the same thing. Actually, meeting with your employees one on one can alleviate some of the time you spend during the day, answering questions or brainstorming ideas leaving you more time to spend looking at the big picture items.
Having a set time to meet every day lets the employee know that you are going to be devoting 100% of your time to them, for their questions, their updates, and their development. They begin to value that time, if you make it more than a status update meeting or worse, a brow beating. One on one meetings should have an agenda, including what the employee would like to discuss. It’s where you can delve deeper into issues they may be having meeting their goals, issues with performance and how you can help them develop in a private, safe atmosphere.
The meetings don’t need to take a tremendous amount of time. Once you get into the habit of meeting on a regular basis, the meeting can be very short depending on what you need to cover. The employee will get better at giving quick status updates on pending projects and focusing more on areas where they need your help. The meeting is also an opportunity for you to get input as to what is going on with them, the department, and the organization. They need to feel you are really open to hearing them, and that you will listen. If they feel safe, you will hear things that can be very helpful and may have otherwise gone unknown.
Likewise it is a time to be frank with them. If they are not meeting your expectations this is the time to set them straight. But be specific and get commitment to confirm they understand what they need to do going forward. Also, remember to tell them how much you appreciate them when they are doing a good job.
Key things to remember:
• Set a specific date and time each week
• Don’t miss the meeting and don’t let them miss the meeting – reschedule if necessary
• Always give 100% of your attention to the employee at the meeting
• Make sure you leave time for what they want to discuss
Thoughts…….. Contact me at abbe@TECResourceCenter.com