Many supervisors meet with their direct reports on a regular basis. The supervisor uses these meetings to get updates on where the direct report is on tasks and projects, and asks them to let the supervisor know if they need any help with anything. In my vernacular, these are not “one-on-one’s”, these are “check ins.”
I propose a new orientation for supervisors to meet with their direct reports that leads to a more personal connection, a way for you as the supervisor to show support and also build trust with your direct report. For your new “one-on-one’s” focus your conversation on the three following areas:
Personal Connection – Employees are more likely to work harder, care about their team/organization/co-workers and be more engaged when they have a personal connection at work. So, go ahead and learn more about your direct reports. Do you know about their interests outside of work? Do you know what matters to them outside of the office? Do you share anything in common with your direct reports? The more you can know about your direct report, about what makes them “Them,” the better you will be able to navigate the workplace, situations and stresses that affect them.
Show Support – Do you remember working for a boss who you were afraid to talk to or never felt you could be honest with when you needed help or didn’t know how to complete a project? We all have probably had one. So, don’t be that boss to your direct reports. Demonstrate to them, by your actions, that you support them and want them to be successful! One way to do this is to show vulnerability on your own. Give them an example of when you were supported by a supervisor or someone higher up the chain of command and how that helped you become who you are today. Do what you say you will do (DWYSYWD – for those that like acronyms). If you tell your direct report they can come ask you anything, then make sure your door is open when they come to you with a problem. And, don’t make them feel bad about the questions they bring you.
Build Trust – Ultimately, the amount of trust between you and your direct reports will have a direct impact on the successes you will have as a team. If your direct reports don’t trust you enough to bring you issues and problems they need help with, you won’t be able to move the dial in terms of effectiveness and productivity. Start small, extend what some call “smart trust” to begin with and if that makes a deposit into the “trust bank” between you and your direct report, extend a little more trust to them. If there is a breakdown of trust between you, on either side, address it as soon as possible and have an open, honest conversation about the consequences and what it will take to rebuild the trust that was lost. Then, get back to creating and building trust between one another.
Create a new focus for your one-on-one’s and start down a new road to building stronger relationships that create an engaged team that trusts one another to accomplish greatness. In my next post I will give you some specific strategies to start using in your one-on-one’s.