How to Have One-on-Ones That Actually Matter

How to Have One-on-Ones That Actually MatterHow to Have One-on-Ones That Actually MatterIve done it. Youve done it. Weve probably all done it. Fallen into that trap where one-on-one meetings with your boss or direct reports become stale and feel like theyre not that useful. Especially for teams that work together like a well-oiled machine, these regular meetings can seem redundant. After all, if all your projects are on track and you really have nothing to check in on, why should you meet? Ill tell you why Because one-on-one meetings arent just about checking in on daily work. Theyre about getting to know the people you work with better. Theyre about discussing higher-level things feedback, career goals, professional development, and the like. And, ultimately, they exist to help you figure out how you can make good employees happy and keep them around.So how can you take these meetings from a weekly necessity to potentially the fruchtwein valuable 30 minutes of your week? In a recent blog post on popforms, Kate Stull addresses just that. Check out some of my favorite tips below along with a few pointers Ive picked up on having one-on-ones that really matter.1. Ask the Right QuestionsOne good way to get mora out of your employees than, So hows that project going? Ask better questions Try and think about open-ended, thought-provoking, and big-picture questions that you can pull out when you find yourself needing a conversation starter. popforms actually offers a newsletter that sends you two questions every week to ask your team everything from What is one thing I could do to make you more productive? to What did you want to be when you grew up? You can even sign your employees up so they have time to think about their answers ahead of time. While the newsletter is good, its also helpful to simply open your mind a little more about what you could really be hitting on during this time. 2. Dont Run the MeetingOne of my favorite tips from Stull is to have your emplo yees run the meeting, not you. After all, this time is largely about people getting face time with you, asking questions, addressing issues, and the like. Since you cant read minds to plan out the agenda that will best suit each employee, why dont you have them run the meetings, instead? Not only does this allow your staffers to get the most out of the time, theyll gain skills in setting an agenda and running an effective meeting.If your employees are a little nervous or you find the meetings lagging, at least make it clear that this is meant to be a conversation. That way everyone knows that they can bring things to the table.3. Have a Backup PlanNothing to talk about? Have a backup plan to get the conversation rolling. popforms suggests some ideas from Rands in Repose, including a mini performance review or my current disasterChances are, in my professional life, something is currently off the rails. Its selfish, but if youre leading with status and I cant find an interesting disc ussion nugget, lets talk about my current disaster. Do you know how many open reqs we have that we cant hire against? Who is the best hiring manager you know and what were their best moves? The point of this discussion is not to solve my Disaster, the point is that were going to have a conversation where one of us is going to learn something more than just project status.Talking about a problem youre facing gives your employees a little more insight into your job- and may even give them a chance to contribute on bigger picture things.4. Get Out of the OfficeOne of the things Ive found most helpful in having beneficial conversation during a one-on-one? Get out of the office. When youre sitting in the conference room where you meet for work-related tasks every day, its too easy to fall into the habit of just talking about projects and the like. Or, depending on the setup of your office, the concern of being overheard could keep your employees from really opening up. So, at least once every month or two, get out of the office. Go to a coffee shop. Go for lunch. Have a walking meeting around a nearby park. Whatever it is, break up your routine to really give your team members space to talk.One-on-ones dont have to be a drag- in fact, they can be a really powerful time to strengthen your relationship with your boss or employees and make everyones work lives better. Read the rest of the popforms post if you want more tips, and get ready to make your meetings matter more, starting now. Photo of people meeting courtesy of Shutterstock.