Weird. It’s the one word that keeps coming to my mind to describe the current situation. It’s just weird. I’m someone who does well with structure. I like the flow of a normal day and find satisfaction of accomplishment and getting better within that structure. Get up. Work out. Eat breakfast. Check the news. Check twitter. Check Instagram. Drive to work. Listen to a podcast. Check email. Attend meetings. Eat lunch. Check email…you get it. The last few weeks have thrown me, and most likely you too, into a bit of a sideways balancing act. Trying to find the new normal has been difficult. Fortunately, one aspect of work hasn’t changed for me and it’s proven to be my anchor and lifeline in the wake of rapid change. That anchor…1:1s.
When I started working in the world of HR technology, I was surprised about how many 1:1s I had with my manager and teammates. It was culture, it was expected, it was sometimes a waste of time (or was it?). I had almost weekly meetings with my manager and almost as often with those I worked with closely. It allowed me to have constant connection and open dialogue with those I needed to.
But there was something lacking, there was a lack of structure to the meetings. They became either too casual or too project focused (status updates, yuk!). It wasn’t until I joined Instructure that I began to see the real value of the 1:1 when done right! Simple things like having an agenda (go figure) and keeping track of past conversations so we don’t hash and rehash the same thing (simple enough, right?).
So, in this time of change I got together with some of my colleagues and we put together some “best practices” of sorts to help you out, and maybe 1:1s can help you and your teams find a sense of normal. Just remember, the whole point of the 1:1 is to keep people first in everything we do.
Get a downloadable version of these best practices called: “How to maintain alignment between employees and managers with effective 1:1s during times of uncertainty and change.”
Hope this is helpful! Happy 1:1ing.
About Bridge: Bridge is a learning and employee development platform that provides learning and growth opportunities for managers and employees. Go to getbridge.com to learn more about how Bridge makes holding successful 1:1’s a seamless experience for both employee and manager alike.
