A QUICK READ FOR EFFECTIVE 1:1 MEETINGS
Three sins of 1:1s for managers
Three things leads should avoid in their 1:1 meetings
1. Canceling the meeting
Unlike other meetings which generally have many participants, 1:1 is typically between the manager and their team-member. Since there are only two people, it is usually easy for the manager to cancel this meeting, and often at the last minute. Typically, the manager meets a team-member in a 1:1 set-up for about 20 hrs in the entire year to talk about things that can impact team members’ career and performance. This is less than 1% of the manager’s time in the whole year. If they cancel it even for 25% of the time, they are perhaps spending more time filling their coffee mugs than spending time on a meeting that can increase the impact of the team.
To build a healthy team culture, set 1:1 with your team member at a regular cadence and do not cancel the meeting. Consider this meeting as one of the most important meetings and maintain a discipline of attending them. If you or the team-member cannot attend for any legitimate reason, ask your team member if they would like to reschedule it. It will go a long way in building trust with the team and setting them for success.
