One-on-one meetings - How to nail it.

Leading effective one-on-one meetings is crucial for both employers and employees. Unlike formal meetings, one-on-ones are less structured and can cover various topics, such as work-related concerns, feedback, brainstorming, and personal issues. These kinds of meetings can serve many purposes like Strengthening Relationship, Feedback Exchange, Idea generation. Personal support, etc…

We'll look at some guidelines in this Article that can be useful for both the employers and employees in one-on-one meetings.

For Employer:-

Leading effective one-on-one meetings is crucial for building strong relationships with your team members and ensuring their success. Here are some principles you can use to nail those one-on-ones:

1. Schedule Regular Meetings: Set up a weekly, recurring one-on-one meeting with each team member. Align the timing with their commitments and availability.
2. Create an Agenda: Prepare a meeting agenda ahead of time. Share key discussion points with your team members so they can review or add to them. This ensures a focused conversation.
3. Undivided Attention: During the meeting, give your team member your full attention. Avoid distractions and actively listen to what they have to say.
4. Follow Up on Action Items: Use the agenda to structure the conversation. Follow up on action items discussed in previous one-on-ones to gauge progress. Align on action items for the upcoming week.
5. Exchange Feedback: Encourage open communication. Discuss challenges, provide constructive feedback, and celebrate wins.
6. Summarize in a Follow-Up Email: After the meeting, promptly send a follow-up email summarizing key points discussed. Clarify responsibilities and next steps.

Effective one-on-ones are about building trust, understanding individual needs, and supporting your team members in their roles. Make a schedule to set a regular meeting time (approximately every 1-2 weeks) and allocate 30-60 minutes for each one-on-one.

For Employees:-

1. Be punctual: Arrive on time or a few minutes early. Being punctual shows maturity, professionalism, and courtesy to other attendees. If you’re running late, apologize and focus on the discussion right away.
2. Come prepared: Review the meeting agenda beforehand. Many organizers send emails with the rundown of topics. Being prepared ensures you actively contribute to the discussion.
3. Listen actively: Avoid interrupting others and actively engage in the conversation. Show respect by giving your full attention to the speaker.
4. Put away distractions: Keep your phone on silent and avoid checking it during the meeting. This helps maintain focus and professionalism.
5. Dress appropriately: Dress according to the company culture and the meeting’s formality. A professional appearance reflects well on you.
6. Participate when appropriate: Speak up when called upon or during relevant conversational periods. Don’t dominate the discussion or interrupt others.
7. Feedback: Provide your honest feedback on how you thought it went.
8. Eat well: Before entering, make sure you've eaten well and hydrated.

Remember, following these etiquette rules can improve communication, increase productivity, and strengthen workplace relationships.

? Vandana Gaikwad - Sapkal.

Business Operations Manager - MPACER Solutions Pvt Ltd.