In our quest to become more effective leaders, we often overlook the basic building blocks that form the foundation of great management. One of these basic but extremely powerful tools is the practice of one-on-one meetings. This practice is part of the Manager Tools Trinity, a set of core principles recommended to every manager looking to enhance their leadership skills.
The Aim of One-on-Ones
The primary purpose of one-on-one meetings is to cultivate professional relationships with your team members. Many managers might argue they already communicate with their team members regularly, but drop-in chats or brief updates don’t necessarily encourage professional relationships.
What is required is deliberate, regular communication that gives the team member a sense of predictability and trust. This trust is the cornerstone of a great team. A high degree of trust within a team can lead to improved performance and better results.
How One-on-Ones Foster Trust
Conducting one-on-ones might seem simple, but it’s surprising how many managers overlook this crucial practice. If you strive for a high-performing team, you must cultivate trust. Trust comes from relationships, and relationships are built and sustained through regular communication.
Human beings measure communication based on two criteria: quantity and quality. To foster trust, a manager needs to communicate frequently and meaningfully with their team members. That’s where one-on-ones come into play.
One-on-ones provide the quantity by ensuring weekly communication between the manager and each team member. But what about the quality? The key to high-quality communication is talking about things that are important to the other person. Hence, effective one-on-ones should always start with the direct — it’s their meeting.
The Impact of One-on-Ones
You might hesitate at the idea of spending half an hour every week with each of your team members, but consider this: it equates to only three days a year spent in deliberate, direct time with each person on your team.
One-on-ones are not just regular check-ins; they are an investment in building trust and fostering professional relationships. They are a way to understand your team members better, gauge their motivations and concerns, and ultimately lead them more effectively.
Remember, effective management isn’t necessarily about being the smartest person in the room or having in-depth industry knowledge. It’s about having great professional relationships with your direct reports. And one-on-ones are the simplest, most measurable way to foster these relationships.
If there’s one thing you can do today to enhance your management skills and effectiveness, start conducting regular one-on-ones. It’s a small step that can have a significant impact on your team’s performance and trust levels.