{"id":20917,"date":"2016-01-06T12:27:16","date_gmt":"2016-01-06T17:27:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.cccc.org\/news_blogs\/?p=20917"},"modified":"2016-10-20T13:24:22","modified_gmt":"2016-10-20T17:24:22","slug":"are-one-to-ones-part-of-your-leadership-tool-kit","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.cccc.org\/news_blogs\/hr\/2016\/01\/06\/are-one-to-ones-part-of-your-leadership-tool-kit\/","title":{"rendered":"Are one-to-one’s part of your leadership tool kit?"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"People

People talking over coffee<\/p><\/div>\n

Are one-to-one conversations part of your leadership tool kit?<\/h2>\n

Great\u00a0leaders<\/strong> understand\u00a0the value of having regular one-to-one<\/strong> conversations with their direct reports. Making time for these discussions\u00a0sends a powerful message that leaders care about their people and are committed to enabling<\/strong> each team member to perform<\/strong> at their best. \u00a0There really is no substitute for the kind\u00a0of rich conversation<\/strong> that can result\u00a0if one-to-one’s are done well, and there is much leaders can do to create an environment where this happens. \u00a0Before we discuss\u00a0what leaders can do to set the stage for meaningful\u00a0one-to-one conversations, lets take a look at some of the benefits<\/strong>\u00a0that come out of having these regular touch points with staff.<\/p>\n

Three benefits of conducting one-to-one’s with your staff<\/h2>\n
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  1. Opportunity to reflect on recent happenings\u00a0– \u00a0<\/strong>Leaders might frame this in the question of: ‘what is going well, and what isn’t going so well?’. \u00a0This kind of open ended question<\/strong> can lead to many possibilities\u00a0including\u00a0coachable moments<\/strong>\u00a0where leaders can help employees to stretch and develop their problem solving skills. \u00a0These conversations are also a natural conduit for leaders to encourage others\u00a0in their professional and spiritual development. An added benefit is that leaders will get a\u00a0sense of whether or not staff are aligned<\/strong> with the broader goals and objectives of the charity.<\/li>\n
  2. Strengthens working relationships and rapport\u00a0–<\/strong>\u00a0 Active listening skills can help leaders to build credibility<\/strong> with their staff in that\u00a0they truly ‘get it’ when it comes to the challenges and opportunities they encounter\u00a0in their lives and day to day work. \u00a0For example, leaders may be able to connect\u00a0employees struggling with mental health issues with resources (e.g. Employee Assistance Programs) sooner, potentially reducing the amount of lost time from work. \u00a0As Christians, leaders have the opportunity and privilege to also use this time to pray with staff members over specific needs and concerns they may be struggling with.<\/li>\n
  3. Detect and action employee disengagement sooner – <\/strong>A Gallup poll\u00a0in 2014 found that just over 31% of workers in the United States were engaged<\/strong> in their jobs. \u00a0That means that almost 70% of those employees were either not engaged or actively disengaged in their work! \u00a0Having regular one-to-one conversations gives leaders an opportunity to pick up on lack of employee engagement sooner and the chance to do something about it. \u00a0For\u00a0millennial\u00a0<\/strong>employees it could be as simple as giving them the opportunity to work on something they find interesting and challenging.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Setting the stage for meaningful one-to-one conversations<\/h2>\n

    Openness and transparency<\/h3>\n

    One-to-ones provide a means for leaders and employees to\u00a0pro-actively<\/b>\u00a0understand how each\u00a0prefers to give and receive feedback, equipping both parties\u00a0with tools for navigating conflict and\u00a0relational challenges when they arise. \u00a0Leaders that are open and transparent about how they prefer to give and receive feedback, and take the time to learn about the work styles\u00a0of their employees, will spend less time navigating relational challenges and more time advancing the charitable purposes of their organization.<\/p>\n

    Make the time<\/h3>\n

    It can be all too easy to allow the urgency of the day to keep one-to-one conversations from happening, and while this is sometimes unavoidable, leaders who schedule<\/strong> the time are much more likely to follow through and make these touch points a priority. If a meeting needs to be cancelled, immediately re-scheduling signals\u00a0to staff that their leaders continue\u00a0to see this time together as important. \u00a0Choosing a meeting location where you won’t experience any interruptions and resisting the urge to check your smartphone allows\u00a0leaders to really be present in the moment.<\/p>\n

    Introducing one-to-ones to your charity<\/h3>\n

    The best time for leaders to introduce\u00a0one-to-ones is when a new employee joins the organization. While there is no one standard when it comes to length<\/strong> and frequency<\/strong>, consider the length of time between conversations if a meeting gets missed, and plan accordingly. \u00a0Most of the leaders I have worked with\u00a0tend to\u00a0favour shorter more frequent meetings over longer meetings that are spaced further apart.<\/p>\n

    If one-to-ones are new to your organization, employees may need some help to get\u00a0a\u00a0feel for what these meetings are all about. \u00a0From this perspective, leaders\u00a0will often have several open ended questions they can ask to help get the conversation going. \u00a0Here are a few that may help to get you started:<\/p>\n