The single best benefit you can give employees are scheduled, meaningful, one-on-one meetings with managers at least every 30 days. This presentation is a guide to those meetings

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Check-In
one-on-one time with leaders is valued most

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What is a Check-In?
The MOST important ritual at SPARC!!!
A way to ensure a team member is correctly adapting
to the CULTURE, APPTITUDE, and DESIRED
SKILLS of SPARC
Check-In’s are continuous and should occur every 30
days (monthly) or as needed
Check-In’s are personal at SPARC
– Anyone can request a Check-In with anyone else
– Anyone can sit in on a Check-In, others may be asked to leave in certain situations
– Team Member (TM) should understand that personal answers are not mandatory and should not
feel pressured

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When?
Scheduled 30, 60, and 90 days from new team
members’ start date and then every 30
days, monthly, there after. Notify team member of
their Check-In at least one week in advance
HR will schedule first 90 days of Check-Ins. Leads
should schedule monthly Check-In thereafter
Meeting should take place in a private area and last
no longer than 30 minutes

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Procedures of a Check-In
** Stick to the script, it really works!
Ask the TM to vent
– Venting is about what’s eating at you, it does not have to be about work. Just let it out.
– Don’t try to solve vents… just listen
Ask Team Member (TM) how things are going in their
personal life
– Ask about their health and their family’s health
– Ask them to share one recent thing from their personal life
Share one recent thing from your personal life
Have TM give feedback (+ or -)
– On the project they are working on
- What’s the single most important thing the project should be focused on right now?
– On their direct supervisor within the project
– On their overall impression/thoughts of the organization
- What’s the single most important thing, as a company, SPARC should be focused on right now?

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How’s the Fit?
Review TM’s CULTURAL fit within SPARC
Review TM’s APTITUDE fit within SPARC
Review TM’s PROJECT/SKILLS fit within SPARC

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Overall Execution
Overall, how’s the TM performing their role?
– Has the TM embraced SPARC’s CORE values?
– What can the TM do to improve their role?
Review TM’s goals
– Review a handful of goals from the TM’s GPS
– Confirm if they are still valid
– Any new goals?

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SPARC – Guidance
Ask the TM if they are following the SPARC Guidance
•Always start emails and chats with a
greeting
•Your Team Members are your first
customers
•No Hushing or Shushing
•Give undivided attention
•“Bitching Out” should NEVER happen
in front of others
•Make eye contact and smile as much
as possible
•Use the most personal communication
available
•Send a hand written thank you
•Remove personal sarcasm
• Its not what you say, its how you say
•Anyone can attend any interview
•Cell phones should be on vibrate
•Two bad days in a row are not allowed
•Always leave a location in the best
possible condition especially
conference rooms
•Don’t eat lunch at your desk
•Praise in Public, Critique in Private
•Ask for permission before giving
feedback
•Listen for at least 2 minutes before
speaking
• Make time to listen
• Choose being kind over being right
• Spend time at Tabletime
•Use language like “we” and “us” over
“I” and “me”.
•Work from home one day a month
•Use language like “Team Member”
and “Talent” over “Employee” and
“Resource”.
•Respect EVERYONE as if they are a
customer
•Put value creation over risk mitigation
•Challenge corporate dogma
• Give others the benefit of the doubt
•Email Sucks… as a way to
communicate

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Wrap-up/Summary
Does the TM feel they are moving in the desired
career path & goals?
Rate Happiness
– On a scale of 1-10 (10 being 100%, 9 being 90%, etc.), have the TM rate their overall happiness at
SPARC and in their personal life…remember Core Value #1: People First, First
Would TM refer SPARC?
– On a scale of 1-10, how likely are they to recommend SPARC to a best friend and/or family
member?
**Keep Going!

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Leadership Self Check-In
Rate yourself on these behaviors… at every review.
Enable people to get the
training and development they
need for success
Honest & straight forward
feedback
Know team members’ career
goals
Provide resources for success
Mistakes happen
Allow for growth (good and bad)
Involvement in team members
growth and development
Give praise
SUPPORT
Informed decision-making
Work together to decide best
course of action
Follow-up on feedback & ideas
Include those affected in my
decision-making process
Seek input, suggestions, and
ideas from my team
COLLABORATION
Allow team members to take
time off (People First, First)
Attend to workgroup stress
Encourage people to balance
their work and their personal
lives
Understand and share the
benefits of the organization
Know what your team enjoys
doing outside of SPARC
Live a healthy work-life balance
and be a role-model of this
balance
Make work FUN
CARING

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Q & A (Open Forum)
Have TM ask questions
Share feedback of TM
questions, comments, concerns and happiness with
SST (if needed)
– Major negative behaviors, performance and mandatory if 7 or less on happiness scale
TM should leave the Check-In feeling relaxed, heard
and emotionally better than before the Check-In
– Purpose of the Check-In is not to scare the TM or to point out potential faults.
– It is to ensure that questions and concerns are addressed on either side
Positive feedback is just as important as negative, so
bring the Hug-Factor to your Check-In 

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Thank You!
For more information on SPARC please contact: John Smith
john.smith@sparcedge.com
(864) 275-6565