What makes an effective 1:1?
In an effective 1:1, there’s something in it for both parties.
Do you really have to have a 1:1 with everyone in your team?
No, it’s not a legal requirement.
But if you want to be a great leader, you start here.
Why have a 1:1?
The goal of a 1:1 meeting with you and your direct report is to:
Get visibility on what they’re working on. You need this data for your reporting to your boss/higher ups.
A format where they can batch their questions for you (vs interrupting you randomly).
A format to get and give advice, feedback and validation. Data shows employees who get regular feedback from managers are 3.6x more engaged.
They have a regular format where they can give feedback to you. You need this feedback so you can be a better manager to get the results you need.
The 1:1 is relatively short and effective as long as you have the ‘secret ingredient’: psychological safety. Safety, research proves, across multiple fields, is the #1 predictor of high performance.
High safety = better 1:1s.
Safety in a relationship is how comfortable you feel with the other person.
High psychological safety =
You don’t worry about how someone else will respond to you.
You know there isn’t a career consequence to telling the truth.
You trust the person has your back.
Great 1:1’s have safety. Your team knows you have their back and visa versa.
Low psychological safety =
You’re in self preservation mode. You keep to yourself.
You only do what you need to, to cope.
You worry if someone really knew what was up, they’d think you were bad at your job or not competent.
Why is safety relevant to your 1:1?
Given you need to have 1:1’s to develop a sincere relationship with someone, and you need safety to be present for that 1:1 to go well, and that 1:1 is a part of the expectation as a leader … it’s in your best interests to actively work on building trust with your direct report.
Use your 1:1 to proactively improve safety between you both.
One study of 1,000 teams discovered two things that shifted the dial on psychological safety:
12% increase in safety when leaders treated each team member as individual contributors, with individual needs, in 1:1s.
6% increase in safety when leaders spent 1:1 time removing team roadblocks.
It’s a useful framing, I find, to think about 1:1’s in its simplest form: how could this conversation make life easier for my colleague, after this meeting?
3 ways to improve safety in your 1:1’s.
Focus on removing roadblocks. Research proves that if you only focus on removing roadblocks for your team members, safety in your relationship would increase 12%.
Be explicit what you need before the 1:1, to help them prepare. One study found nearly 50% of employees have no idea what’s expected of them. Being explicit what you expect and want to see helps them be more confident and more effective in the 1:1.
Ask them what they need in a 1:1. Some folks want to connect. Others just want to get stuff done. Many want advice on how to approach a tricky situation. By asking the other person, you’re building safety as you’re considering not just your preference, but their needs to do their job well.
Creating a useful 1:1 format that works for you.
Use any template you like, but start by answering two simple questions:
What do you need to leave feeling confident your team member is working on the right things in the most constructive way?
What does your team member need to leave your next 1:1 confident that they’re on the right track, know what they need to know, and are doing a good job?
If you can answer that, you can use any template you like that helps you achieve it. But use a template with no idea what you need and it’s ineffective for both parties.
The regular appointment isn’t also only about the to do list.
It’s a regular appointment to attend to your duty of care as a leader: make sure your team member is okay, supported and on track.
How do I know if my 1:1 is working?
Can both of you take positive action, as a result of the meeting?
If not, someone isn’t getting what they need. Why not use your next 1:1 to figure out what that could be?
Do you need your leaders to lead quality 1:1s?
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