One-on-Ones

#maps/leadership

One-on-ones are an important part of the management process. Getting core answers is just as important as asking the right questions and both can be very difficult. There are a few focuses for a one-on-one, but more importantly there is one main objective - listen to your employee and digest what they tell you.

Main Focus: What is working? What isn't?

The main focus of a one-on-one should be getting at what things are currently working and what things are not. Taken one at a time, these answers give you insights into what energizes and what drains a particular employee. Taken in aggregate, they can give you insights into the major concerns your team has right now.

Secondary Focus: Building Brag Docs

Secondarily, a one-on-one should focus on keeping a list of things an employee has done that are worth bragging about - a brag document. These could be things that went above and beyond their usual job, things they did that had outsized impact on the team, and

Some one-on-one questions ideas

What are you hoping I won’t bring up?
How was it working with person X on project Y this week?
Is there anything happening on our team that is worrying you?
What else is on your mind?
What are you doing for self-care?
How has your work-life balance been lately?
Do you have any advice for me?
How are you doing? How’s life?
Is there anything that you need from me or the company?
Are you getting the help you need from your colleagues?
What is the most inefficient workflow or process you own?
What major roadblocks are you facing that I can help you solve?
How would you rate your job satisfaction right now? How can I improve that?
What skills or career areas do you want to grow?