Have you ever questioned the value of your one-on-one meetings?  If you have followed my videos and blogs at all over the last 7-8 years, you know I am a big proponent of one on one meetings with cadence. Depending on the size & complexity of your company they should last 30-45 minutes either weekly or every other week.

Here is a simple list of Do’s & Don’ts as a guideline:

DO:

• Identify one or two opportunities for the employee’s growth during a specific period
• Ask for examples of the employee exemplifying those behaviors since the last one-on-one
• Discuss progress on SMART operational goals & deliverables
• Coach them on how to coach a person with whom they are having an issue (Coach the Coach)
• Ask what you can do better to support them
• Mix it up from time to time and ask bigger questions of each other about how you collectively can bring more value to the organization
• Ask them to do one on one’s with their direct reports

DON’T:

• Change or cancel the meeting without providing a clear reason
• Change a direction or decision affecting the rest of the team in a one on one
• Agree to talk to another team member about an issue your direct is having with them
• Be defensive about constructive feedback they give you

Review this checklist with your team so they can hold you accountable to these practices. Do them right and watch your people flourish.