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Want to spend less time in meetings?  Then try meeting regularly with your direct reports one on one.  Believe it or not, these are not conflicting statements!

Managers who invest in regular, well structured one on one meetings report spending less overall time in meetings on a weekly basis.  These meetings save a manager time in the long run, as they cut back on the amount of re-work, and also on the number of ‘drive-by’ meetings.  In addition, one on one meetings are a key method by which managers can deliver results through others.

Why Have a One on One Meeting?

A well structured one on one meeting effectively addresses two critical types of needs:

• Personal needs (the basic human needs of those reporting to you, including the need to be treated with respect, and the need to trust those they work for).  To address the personal needs of your direct reports, you must build professional but authentic relationships with them, and you must establish credibility.
• Organizational needs (the actions required to advance the practical goals of the organization).  To address organizational needs, you need to do things like develop action plans to get work done; set expectations; follow up and hold others accountable.

A One on One Meeting: The Basics

• Conduct a one on one meeting weekly with each of your direct reports
• A one on one meeting should be highly focused.  Try not to exceed 30 minutes
• These must be the meetings you never miss; set them up as recurring appointments, and reschedule if necessary
• Document each one on one meeting - take notes, and track agreed upon action items
• There should be two way dialogue in a one on one meeting; as a manager, you should try to listen at least as much as you speak

How to Prepare for a One on One Meeting

Prepare for a one on one meeting by considering the following:

• Have I completed any actions that I agreed to at the previous one on one meeting?
• Review results.  Are the key objectives on track to being met?  What help or support is required to meet the objectives?  What coaching can be provided?
• What positive feedback can I give?
• What feedback for improvement should I be delivering?
• What can I delegate?

Get the Complete ‘One on One Meeting’ Topic Bundle

Get the One on One Meeting files here

The One on One Meeting topic bundle includes:

• One on One Meeting Cheat Sheet (pdf)
• One on One Meeting Booklet (pdf) containing:
  • In-Depth Topic Overview
  • How to Prepare for a One on One Meeting
  • Conducting a One on One Meeting
  • Suggested One on One Meeting Agenda
  • One on One Meeting Tracking Sheet
  • Recommended Resources – where to find out even more about One on One Meetings

• Easy-print versions of the tools contained in the One on One Meeting Booklet (pdf)
• One on One Meeting Podcast (mp3)
• One on One Meeting Podcast Slides (Powerpoint)

Get the complete ‘One on One Meeting’ topic bundle now – IMMEDIATE DOWNLOAD!

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