Software Engineering

Tips to Help You Improve Your 1:1 Meetings

It's time to revolutionize the way we conduct these meetings, transforming them from mere status updates to strategic growth sessions.
Published on
August 2024

Have you ever been in a 1:1 meeting where the conversation goes something like this:

Manager: Have anything on your mind?

Employee: No.

Manager: Want to talk about anything in particular?

Employee: No.

This is a typical exchange between a manager and an employee, and frankly, it's not productive. It's time to revolutionize the way we conduct these meetings, transforming them from mere status updates to strategic growth sessions.

The 1:1 Revolution

Welcome to the 1:1 revolution! Regular check-ins should be more than just updates; they're the key to unlocking growth.

By tracking performance throughout the year, these conversations can become laser-focused and start to make a significant difference.

Instead of waiting for an annual review to discuss a team member's progress, use these regular meetings to provide real-time feedback and make course corrections as needed.

A Purposeful Approach

Take a more purposeful approach to these conversations.

Dive deep into strengths and areas for improvement. Develop personalized plans for growth - this is the most crucial part of the conversation.

For example, if an employee excels in project management but struggles with public speaking, a development plan might include enrolling them in a public speaking course.

Forget the generic discussions and turn each 1:1 into a strategy session that propels both the team and the business forward.

Continuous Performance Measurement

The days of annual surprises are over!

With continuous performance measurement, you and your team stay on the same page. This approach allows you to address challenges early, celebrate progress, and align on goals that drive success.

If a team member is consistently meeting their sales targets, take the time to acknowledge their hard work and discuss how they can leverage their skills to take on bigger challenges. Conversely, if they're not doing so well, call that out so that you can set a plan to begin tackling it right away, rather than waiting until the end of the year to talk about it.

Boosting Engagement

If you take this approach, watch how your employee engagement improves.

Maybe even measure it to see the difference? Pulse Surveys: A Guide for HR Managers and Decision-Makers

Employees appreciate your dedication to their growth. Regular performance measurement and targeted 1:1s show that you're invested in their success.

Change Your 1:1s

It's time to change up your approach to these conversations.

Embrace a performance-driven approach and the results might surprise you!

By making these changes, you're not just improving the quality of your 1:1 meetings; you're showing your team that you're committed to their growth and your organization will flourish as a result.

Weekly newsletter
Join hundreds of HR and team leads—receive our very best resources in your inbox every week.
Thank you! Your submission has been received!
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.
Latest Posts
Newsletter

5 Tips for Giving Better Feedback

At WorkStory, we’ve developed a simple approach to giving better feedback. Here are 5 tips that can make your feedback more effective and meaningful.
Read post
Newsletter

Building a Feedback Culture

In our latest video, we dive into the importance of establishing a strong feedback culture within teams.
Read post
Newsletter

10 Ways to Improve Your Employee Performance Reviews

We learn a lot from our customers when it comes to performance reviews, feedback, culture, operations. Here's out first video - a list of ten tips on how you can improve your own performance review process.
Read post