It is common for people to feel a lack of support from their managers while working remotely if the right systems are not implemented. When you are intentional about organizing your 1:1s, you can ensure your direct reports are getting the most out of the sessions by feeling connected and supported to be set up for success.
Here are some helpful components to include in your remote 1:1s:
1. Connect. Spend some time connecting first before jumping into the work. Asking about non-related work such as how their weekend went, inquiring about their family, or asking about any exciting things they have been up to lately will build invaluable rapport.
2 Work Update & Supports. You can have your Directs briefly report on the work (what’s going well that they are proud of and what challenges they could use your support in). There can be space for what they tried, what they failed at, and what they are learning. There are various supports you can offer, whether it is answering their questions, providing documentation, and informing them of how the big picture of what they are doing fits into your projects and the larger company initiatives. You can also give them access to others by making introductions with your peers, providing any tech equipment to do their job more easily, or any other necessary assistance. As a manager, when you ask, “is there anything I can do to support you this week,” it sends a resounding message that you care. If you have limited capacity or have one area of strength that you are particularly good at that you want to leverage, you can specify your support. For example, “I have an extra 30 minutes this week, is there anything I can do to support you on this project with this part of the deck or anybody I can connect you with to facilitate the work?”
3. Skill progression. It is always nice to call out skills and capabilities that they are developing and how they fit into their career goals. Feedback on how they are doing can motivate and lead to greater engagement.
4. Solicit Feedback. This is important to optimize the working relationship. A common question that leaders can ask: "Is there anything you want me to start doing or stop doing to make things more effective?" One remote manager Rodolphe Dutel found that when he asked his remote employees what he could do to make their lives easier, he learned a lot of helpful answers ranging from more face time, mentoring, and written instructions instead of verbal ones, so there is more clarity. Little changes like moving a weekly meeting by one hour so the Direct Report can pick up his kids at school or scheduling time to have a quick sync before a big meeting to reduce nerves and stress, or having office hours for a brief check-in to provide help to get unstuck can all make a big difference.
5. Solicit ideas. It is instrumental in creating space for your team to share their voice and be heard. You can ask what ideas they have to improve the team or company. They have a unique vantage point, and tapping into that wisdom will help you do your job better and serve your team more productively. It can also increase engagement because they can feel included and know their input matters.
6. Invite them to create the agenda. Including the direct reports in crafting the 1:1s is essential. You can have them talk about a structure that would work for them, possibly borrowing from some of the components above or creating new aspects. The experience and buy-in will be significantly enhanced when they can include the factors that will meet their needs.
The key to effective 1:1s while working remotely is to be intentional about creating a great experience and not make the time transactional or routine. Neither side should show up with no plan because you would miss a prime opportunity to connect, grow together, and produce great work.
Quote of the day: “90 minutes of your time can enhance the quality of your subordinate’s work for two weeks or 80+ hours.” – Andy Grove, former CEO of Intel.
Q: How do you maximize your 1:1s to be an energizing experience? Comment and share below; we would love to hear from you!
The next blog in this series 7/11 will focus on making virtual meetings successful.
As a leadership development and executive coach, I work with leaders to create enjoyable remote work experiences for themselves and their teams, contact me to explore this topic further.
How do you have great 1:1s?