EntreLeadership - How to Have Effective One-on-Ones (Copy Our Template)

Starting point is 00:00:05 Of all the meetings we do here, there's only one that we say is the most important meeting to advance your business. It's not a strategy meeting. It's not quarterly planning. It's one-on-ones with your team. Most leaders dread one-on-ones or don't do them at all. But when you do these the right way, one-on-ones actually give you back hours in your week. And they become the key to building a healthy team and a healthy business. So today, Entree Leadership's head coach John Falcons will show you why you should be doing one-on-ones and how to do them effectively so you can accomplish more in your business. Let's get to it. When I tell leaders that they should be having a weekly 101 with their team members, a lot of them look at me like I'm crazy. And I think it's because when they hear one-on-one, they're picturing something like this.

Starting point is 00:00:57 All right, Mia, so it's time for our 101. Well, how'd you eat? This is good. Yeah? It's been slow, but... It's been slow. I've been more to do. No, I mean, next week will be busier, just one of those weeks slow, slower.

Starting point is 00:01:11 Yeah. Did you get all that stuff done I gave me to do last week? Oh yeah, yeah. That was quick. That was in a good. Yeah. Anything else? No?

Starting point is 00:01:22 Yeah. Okay, well, good talk. If that's what you're expecting one-on-ones to be like, or if that's what you've experienced before, it's no wonder you think they're a waste of time. But the only thing worse than having a bad one-on-one, is not having one at all. Because most of the problems you're dealing with right now as a leader, miscommunication, a lack of accountability,

Starting point is 00:01:46 small issues getting out of hand, are the exact problems one-on-ones can help solve. So before we talk about how to do one-on-ones well, let's talk about why so many leaders avoid them in the first place. Probably the biggest reason leaders don't do one-on-ones is because they feel like they don't have the time. And I get that. You've got 17 fires burning.

Starting point is 00:02:06 You're playing whack-a-wack-one. mole with your inbox and now somebody's telling you to add another meeting to your calendar, that sounds terrible. And for some of you, it's not just the meeting itself, it's the frequency. Every week? Yeah, every week. Or at least every other week, if that's more realistic for your business. Because if you're leading people, you don't have time to not meet with them regularly. You're either going to spend 30 intentional minutes addressing issues or you're going to spend the entire week getting interrupted by those same issues. It's your choice.

Starting point is 00:02:39 Another objection that I hear is that 101's feel like micromanagement. It can feel like that if all you're doing is sitting down and asking, hey, what did you do this week? Did you finish that thing? Did you talk to so-and-so? That's an interrogation. A 101 isn't about controlling people. It's about helping them succeed.

Starting point is 00:02:58 One-on-ones give you the opportunity to get ahead of the problems before they get too big. That's not micromanagement that's being proactive. Or maybe you're worried that it'll just turn into a giant complaint session. I've heard leaders tell me, every time we meet, they just dump all their problems on me. It's like somebody's walking into your office and dropping a monkey off on your desk. And if your whole team does that, by the end of the week, you've collected 14 monkeys and you're running a full-blown circus. That's not the goal here.

Starting point is 00:03:30 A 101 shouldn't end up with you owning everybody else's problem. They need to take their monkey and they need to solve their own problem. And then they need to leave your office. It's their responsibility to own their next step. Or maybe the real reason you're not doing one-on-ones is because it's awkward. And yeah, of course it's awkward. Any new leadership habit is awkward. The first time you led a meeting was awkward.

Starting point is 00:03:55 The first time you hired somebody was awkward. The first time you fired somebody. It's probably, for sure, awkward. Leadership is full of awkward moments, but avoiding awkward moments isn't a good enough reason to not do something. And trust me, it gets less awkward the more you do it.

Starting point is 00:04:14 Despite all these objections, let me tell you why doing one-on-ones with people that you lead is worth it. First of all, let's reframe this whole idea. You've got to stop thinking about one-on-ones just as a meeting. It's a conversation. It's an investment.

Starting point is 00:04:27 It's where you build trust. It's where you coach and develop team members into leaders. So now let's talk about what a good 101 is supposed to look like. But before we get to that, your team is worth the time it takes for a good 101. And your team is worth every dollar you invest in them. And behind payroll, healthcare is one of the biggest expenses a business has. That's why I want to tell you about Christian Healthcare Ministries Groups Program. It's a faith-based alternative to traditional health insurance,

Starting point is 00:04:57 where members help pay each other's medical bills. It's a great option, not only for individuals, but also for small businesses to take care of their people in a way that's effective and affordable. Whether you're a church, a nonprofit, a school, or a family business, many organizations report saving 30 to 50 percent compared to traditional health insurance. Of course, the goal isn't just cutting costs. It's being a wise steward of the resources that you've been given. has over 700 participating groups, and they offer flexibility for companies of a lot of different sizes.

Starting point is 00:05:34 So if you're responsible for your organization's health care benefits, contact CHM. One of their representatives will walk you through your options and help determine whether the groups program is a good fit for your specific situation. So go to chministries.org slash entree, or call 1-800 join CHM. Okay, I've got some tips to help you make sure these conversations are valuable for both you and the person that you're leading. The first tip is, be present. So if you're answering texts or checking email or thinking about your next meeting, you're wasting everybody's time. Be where your feet are.

Starting point is 00:06:14 People can tell when you're present, and they can tell when you're pretending. If your team member is important enough to meet with them, they're important enough to get your attention. When you show up distracted to a 101, you're communicating whatever they're telling you isn't as important as what's happening on your screen. That's not the message that you want to send. So put your phone down, close the laptop, silence the notifications, and be fully present for the next 30 minutes. Sometimes the most valuable thing you can give is an advice. It's your attention. And on that note, come prepared with what you want to talk about.

Starting point is 00:06:50 A lot of 101 sound like this. everything going. Good. Okay, cool. Good talk. Meeting over. Nothing gets accomplished. That's why you both should come ready with things to discuss. Your team members should bring questions, obstacles they're facing, or ideas that they want feedback on. And if they're not sure where to start, you can ask them questions like how they're doing, what their highs and lows are, and how their previous commitments are trending. Do they have any current blockers or challenges that need to be addressed? But your team members shouldn't be the only one that comes prepared. It's also a chance for you as the leader to address things that you've noticed throughout the week. Things like Winsworth Celebrating,

Starting point is 00:07:32 concerns that need to be addressed, and areas that you want to coach them on. A good idea is to keep a running list throughout the week of anything that comes up that you want to address later. I take notes all week. If something comes up Tuesday, I don't stop what I'm doing. I write it down and talk about it during my next 101. The 101 tool, inside of Entree Elite makes this really easy, and if you want to learn more about that, we'll leave a link in the description. Also, don't talk the whole time. God gave you two ears and one mouth for a reason, so make sure you're listening more than you're talking. Let them steer the conversation. And remember, silence is golden. Sometimes it takes a second for people

Starting point is 00:08:12 to open up. The more routine this becomes, the less awkward it will be. And that leads me to the next tip. Change up the setting. Your 101 should be be a private conversation so people feel safe sharing. But don't assume you have to sit in a meeting room to have your one-on-one. Go for a walk, grab a coffee, maybe go outside. Communication expert Jefferson Fisher has said that movement can lower anxiety and help people think more clearly. There's something about walking side-by-side instead of face-to-face that allows people to open up more. Some of the best one-on-ones I've ever had happened while walking. So get creative on what works for you and your team. And lastly, coach, don't rescue.

Starting point is 00:08:53 Remember what I said about people dropping off their monkeys in your office? I started giving some of my clients a sock monkey for them to put on their desk as a reminder that they don't have room to take any more monkeys, aka other people's problems. When someone brings a problem, your first response shouldn't be. I'll take care of it. Your first response should be, what do you think we should do? It's easy to feel like you should propose a solution, but that's not really helping you. the person because you're not causing them to think through the problem themselves.

Starting point is 00:09:24 You're trying to raise their level of critical thinking and lower their dependence on you to solve every issue. And they might resist that by telling you, I don't know what to do. That's why I'm asking you. Push back and ask what the options are. It might be awkward for a minute or two, but by forcing them to solve the problem, you're actually investing in them and leading them well. So if you're waiting until you feel perfectly prepared to start doing one-on-ones, you'll never do them. The first one might be awkward.

Starting point is 00:09:52 The second one might be awkward too. That's okay. Leadership isn't about perfection. It's about progress. Start meeting with your people. Show up. Listen. Coach the best you can.

Starting point is 00:10:04 And do that every week. And you'll be shocked how much faster problems get solved and how much stronger your team becomes. If you want a deeper dive into how to do a 101, we've got an article breaking it all down for you. And we'll leave a link in the description. One-on-ones are one of the most valuable ways to stay plugged in to your team and keep a pulse on what's happening in your business. So make them a priority.

Starting point is 00:10:29 Decide that investing in your team is worth the time, but one-on-ones aren't the only meetings that matter. In this next episode, we'll show you the five meetings that are non-negotiables here at Ramsey and how we make sure every meeting is worth having. If you enjoyed this episode, like, share, and subscribe. for more real world leadership content. I'm your host Dave Ramsey, and this is Andre Leadership.

EntreLeadership - How to Have Effective One-on-Ones (Copy Our Template)

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