We’ve previously shared the secrets to 1:1 meetings from a managerial point of view and it’s hight time we share some tips for the other important side of the process – the team member. Simply said, these meetings’ purpose is to discuss tasks, goals, processes improvements and career growth opportunities in order to achieve better performance, higher engagement and work satisfaction. To do so, both parties should be equally involved in the process and make some efforts. Here are our tips for you about how to have an efficient 1:1 with your manager:
1. Be punctual
By default, managers and team leads are quite busy and have pretty tight schedules. To show you value their time (and yours as well), try to be punctual for your meeting. This demonstrates responsibility and respect and gives a good start to a productive meeting.
2. Prepare for the meeting in advance
These meetings are a collaborative effort, and the assumption that you are the passive side that only needs to listen to the manager’s feedback is quite wrong. The aim of 1-to-1s is to improve productivity and increase your satisfaction with your job. In order to achieve this goal, you also need to be an active part of the process.
Take your time to think about the meeting, the things you would like to discuss, and if there are any challenges you are currently facing in your work. Also, if you know that your manager would like to know something in particular, such as the progress on a given task or the result of some projects, be sure to prepare and send this information in advance. Doing so will save valuable time to discuss other important topics during the meeting.
3. Bring up topics you would like to talk about
1-to-1 meetings are your time with your team lead, so don’t be shy and try to make the most out of them. Your manager may have many great skills, but surely reading thoughts is not one of them. So, if you have some concerns or suggestions, this is the right moment to raise them. Such topics may include career growth, process improvements, self-improvement, interpersonal issue, etc., but you can also talk about everything that disturbs you at your work.
4. Ask questions but try also to provide solutions
During the 1-to-1 meetings, your manager is there to provide you with some answers and support your work. But as we mentioned earlier, it is important to try to be an active part of the process as well.
If you have noticed some process inconsistencies or have faced a particular challenge, bring it to the table, but also try to suggest a potential solution, rather than rely on your manager to fully solve the issues.
Being proactive shows your attitude towards your work and the efforts you are making to achieve better results.
5. Ask for feedback
Probably you are already receiving some feedback during the 1-to-1 meetings, but if it’s not detailed enough or doesn’t provide you with information about a specific matter regarding your skills or performance you are interested in, make sure to ask about it.
Тhe aim of these meetings is to improve your work and help you better achieve your goals, so make sure you receive the feedback you need. Here are some example questions “What are my strengths and what are my gaps?”, “How can I do better in [a particular task]?”, “Do I need to improve my [a particular skill]?”, etc.