At this point, we would like to reinforce one of the key components of leadership, expectations-setting and accountability – facilitation of effective1:1’s.

Few organisations provide strong guidance or training for managers on meeting individually with their employees, but we believe that managers who don’t hold these meetings frequently enough or who manage them poorly risk leaving their team members disconnected, both functionally and emotionally. When the meetings are done well, they can make a team’s day-to-day activities more efficient and better, build trust, provides context, and improve employees’ experience, motivation, and engagement at work.It also allows accountability for performance and workload to sit where it should, without the manager bearing this practical and psychological load.

In our experience, there is no one-size-fits-all approach to 1:1’s. They are most successful when the meeting is dominated by topics of importance to the direct report rather than issues that are top of mind for the manager. Leaders should focus on making sure the meetings take place, creating space for genuine conversation, asking good questions, offering support, and helping team members get what they need to thrive in both their short-term performance and their long-term growth.

1:1 meetings are a key component of successful coaching and development. They give managers and their direct reports uninterrupted time to discuss projects, review performance, remove blockers, and more. It also provides an opportunity for managers to get to know their employees on a more personal level.