{"id":5185,"date":"2017-04-04T13:59:44","date_gmt":"2017-04-04T12:59:44","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.small-improvements.com\/?p=5185"},"modified":"2024-11-26T13:34:21","modified_gmt":"2024-11-26T13:34:21","slug":"youre-not-too-busy-for-11-meetings","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.small-improvements.com\/blog\/youre-not-too-busy-for-11-meetings\/","title":{"rendered":"You’re not too busy for 1:1 meetings"},"content":{"rendered":"

Getting that first promotion to management is a big day.<\/p>\n

It represents a new title, a raise (hopefully), and more influence. You are now part of \u201cmanagement.\u201d<\/p>\n

That excitement can quickly fade once you realize that as a manager, you have a lot more to do, but the same amount of time to do it. It\u2019s easy to get consumed by the busyness of being a manager.<\/p>\n

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When the time crunch hits, many managers fall into the same trap and cut out the most important task they have: spending time with their people.<\/p>\n

The most fundamental role of a manager is to unleash the potential of the people they manage. To accomplish this task, managers must fully engage with each individual, helping foster a feeling of real connection with their work. And that means dedicated, one-on-one conversations. There is no shortcut. \u00a0<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

This is why regularly scheduled 1:1 meetings between employees and managers<\/a> are the most important tool there is to achieving employee engagement.<\/p>\n

Perhaps you think your situation is different. You\u2019re not just busy, you are REALLY busy. You have 10 direct reports and it\u2019s just not possible to have 1:1s with each of them.<\/p>\n

Maybe you are different. But just for fun, let\u2019s do a little math.<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s assume you work eight hours a day for 20 days each month on average. That\u2019s 160 work hours at your disposal each month (I know you probably work more than this, but let\u2019s be conservative).<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s also assume that good one-on-one meetings require a total of two hours per employee, per month. This includes preparation time and the actual conversation. For 10 employees, that\u2019s a total of 20 hours of your time for one-on-one meetings each month. That\u2019s 12.5 percent of your time, or 1.25 percent per employee.<\/p>\n

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Meeting regularly with employees 1:1 will help increase engagement and should not be viewed as optional.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

As a manager, your most important job is to successfully supervise and coach your people. Investing 1.25 percent of your time per employee to effectively increase their engagement and performance shouldn\u2019t be viewed as optional.<\/p>\n

1:1s will improve engagement. As engagement increases, their capacity and desire to take on more responsibility will also increase. This allows you to delegate, freeing more time to invest in them individually. It\u2019s a virtuous circle.<\/p>\n

You have the time. It\u2019s just a matter of investing it wisely.<\/p>\n

Once you recognize 1:1s as a necessity, these tips will help you get the most out of this valuable time investment:<\/p>\n

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  1. Create a regular meeting routine. <\/b>Depending on your team, meeting for 15 minutes weekly might be better than 90 minutes monthly. Regardless of cadence, commit to a schedule that works for you and the employee. Then stick to it. <\/span><\/li>\n
  2. Use a consistent agenda. <\/b>To get the most out of these conversations, create some structure. For example, using the following questions can ensure you\u2019ll have a valuable discussion each time:<\/span>\n