SEAOIL managers share useful tips on conducting meaningful 1:1s

Whether as a manager or direct report, you’ve probably been in a one-on-one (1:1) meeting at some point in your professional life. However, despite being common among most employees, the individual experience likely differs depending on how it was conducted.?

This difference could be attributed to the varying approaches of managers in their leadership styles. While others tend to schedule 1:1s with their subordinates to discuss critical issues that need to be addressed, some use this time to establish a safe space for their team members and get to know them beyond the scope of their paid work.

These two manners will result in contrasting results. According to a study published in Harvard Business Review , managers who conduct 1:1 meetings poorly or don’t hold them as often “risk leaving their team members disconnected, both functionally and emotionally.” On the contrary, those who do it properly make “day-to-day activities more efficient and better, build trust and psychological safety, and improve employees’ experience, motivation, and engagement at work.”

At SEAOIL, people managers are encouraged to schedule regular 1:1s with their team members to build trust, maintain deep connections, and ensure the personal and professional growth of employees. This is also a way of embodying #AlagangSEAOIL — where both seniors and their subordinates can fully rely on and support each other about trivial or crucial matters.?

Of course, while consistency is important in 1:1s, ensuring it’s time well spent is just as significant. With this, how can one guarantee that every session will be productive and meaningful?

For SEAOILer Jerome, it’s about “W.I.L.O.” or “Week In the Life Of.” He explains, “There are three parts of that meeting: the first part is the status of the things you’ve committed to accomplishing from last week, the second is the things you have to do this week, and the third is the feedback session.”

While all three steps are vital for a meaningful 1:1, feedback time is pivotal for Jerome. “I believe in the principle of ‘praise in public but castigate in private,’” he says, adding that he makes sure to give his direct report a chance to give him feedback. “I ask first, ‘How can I improve if there’s anything that I need to be better with?’ From there, I try to listen, hold back, and appreciate the courage of that person giving me feedback.”

SEAOILer Jayvee also has three things he follows to ensure a meaningful 1:1. First is that you have to prepare for it, next is that it should foster openness, and finally, it has to end with action plans.

Jayvee believes that 1:1s are an excellent opportunity to be vulnerable with your team and get to know them on a deeper level. “Unlike a group meeting where you’re in front of other people and sometimes get scared or anxious about sharing things in front of a crowd, a 1:1 meeting should be no holds barred. We have to be open and break down walls, and to do that, we need to talk about anything under the sun like family, faith, or fitness.”

Meanwhile, for SEAOILer Rivva, it all boils down to “C.A.R.E” or “Calendar is key,” “Attention is key,” “React properly,” and “Enjoy.”

Rivva underscores the importance of being fully attentive and avoiding distractions during the meeting. She suggests, “Pay attention to what your team members are saying to you and how they are saying it so that you, as a people manager, can react properly. I always tell my team that 1:1s are a safe space and an avenue to raise any wins, concerns, or grievances. If your team member doesn't feel comfortable enough to open up to you, they will not be able to raise their real issues and concerns and you will not be able to help them properly.”?

“So remember, next time you set a 1:1, be sure to? ‘C.A.R.E.,’” Rivva says. #