I consider the weekly One-on-One one of the most consequential meetings a leader holds. Every Monday, the leader sits down with a direct report and sets goals for the coming week, so the person’s work lines up with the objectives of the team and the company. Thirty minutes works for someone who does the same thing week to week, while sixty fits a job with many moving parts.
Three Jobs in One Meeting
During a One-on-One, I balance three things:
- Direction: confirm the person works on the right projects this week, and leave task tracking to a tool such as Asana or Basecamp.
- Development: spot strengths and gaps as you talk through core projects, then offer resources or mentoring.
- Support: show the person that leadership cares in good times and bad, which matters most in high-growth, high-stress roles.
It Replaces a Lot of Email
Email is impersonal and imprecise, so it invites miscommunication. In fact, you can eliminate 80 percent of the emails between a leader and a direct report during a One-on-One.
Protect It on the Calendar
I treat these meetings as immovable rocks in the week, so I schedule everything else around them. Lock each one into your calendar and color code it, because a standing meeting gives your people security. They know they have your ear without fighting for time. Meet in person, or over video if your team works remotely, since visual contact matters. Keep the telephone as a last resort.
Bottom Line
The One-on-One gives every direct report a weekly slot with their leader, and that slot sets the direction for their week. To build the habit across your management team, take Invest in Your Leaders. It teaches One-on-One Coaching among 12 leadership skills in about six hours.
