Experiences and conclusions after implementing 1/1 conversations in a software development department with over 40 people.

1. One-on-one
How to conduct conversations with direct reports
MeetUp Management 3.0 Warsaw 8.01.2018

2. Challenges
People do not know and do not trust each other
Questions without answers and “bad communication”
Lack of feedback (in both directions)
Good people do not know they are good
„Management by walking around” (being asked “Can we talk” by the boss can be a
real stress)

3. One-on-One ver 3.0
Regular meeting with employee
Your time for direct, not his/hers for you
Enables communication with manager-direct report
Opportunity for feedback (when something can be done about it)
Opportunity for coaching
The meeting has to help employee with reaching his/her goals

4. What can be achieved?
Building relations between you and direct
Trust and mutual understanding
Shared view of the situation - how things are going
Early warnings
Clarification of tasks, priorities and goals

5. How and what to talk about?
„Manager Tools” format: 10 min for him, 10 for you, 10 about the future
What are we expecting in the nearest future?
What problems and obstacles we have?
What are the difficulties?
Does working in the company fulfill your expectations?
Avoid rumors, but listen for grumbles, there is information there

6. Recommendations
Weekly, fixed time
Always start the same way
Never cancel
Don’t talk about statuses only
Find the opportunity for appraisal
Close meeting with something positive, for e.g. say Thank you

7. Agenda and notes
Each side should know what he/she wants to talk about
Especially if the meeting is about personal development
Sending an agenda by the employee is ok. The manager can add his/her issues
Agenda does not have to force discipline like in other meetings
Notes should be taken - as a signal of attention
Get back to issues which were important for employee

8. Challenges and traps
I have 8 directs does that mean 8 hours at meetings? Yes, that’s your job.
Communication abilities: Listening, Asking questions, Note-taking
Defeat? Ask about lessons learned, do not edify
Looking for solutions - help employee find them
Work is being done regardless of this meeting, not on it
Trap - important decisions should not wait for One-on-one

9. How do we know it is working?
Progress in executing the goals of the team and the organization
Manager and employee look forward to the meeting
Trust between members of the team
Managers are trusted
Less emotional dramas
The reputation of the company as employer improves
It is easier to recruit / Smaller staff turnover / Good place to work

10. Sources
The manager should do 10 percent of the talking and 90 percent of the listening.
Note that this is the opposite of most one-on-ones
“The Hard Thing About Hard Things” Ben Horowitz
Ask one more question “High output management” Andy Grove
To begin with I recommend:
Manager Tools “Basics” https://www.manager-tools.com/manager-tools-basics
Also check:
free ebook from O’Reilly “The Secrets Behind Great One-on-One Meetings” by Esther Schindle
resources from Google: https://rework.withgoogle.com/blog/support-managers-with-rework-tools/

11. Good Luck
Tomasz Bienias
http://tebe.blox.pl
Twitter @tutebe