Are Your 1:1 a Waste Of Time?

Are your one-on-ones often useless and a waste of time?

If so, try using some coaching questions to change the impact of your one-on-ones.

When I first started managing people a friend recommend “The Coaching Habit” by Michael Bungay Stanier. He has 7-questions he focuses on as a manager and coach. Here are the 7-questions with my thoughts on each one.

1. What’s on your mind? – This is a great question because it’s open-ended and puts the focus on your team member.

2. And what else? – This actually helps YOU. It prevents you from becoming focused on giving advice. Coaching is not advice giving. Also, there's typically more going on than the start of the meeting will uncover.

3. What’s the real challenge here for you? – This question is helpful in helping your team member clarify what they need versus what they’re capable of doing themselves.

4. What do you want? – How often do you think you know what someone wants versus their actual want? Help your team member to own their ask.

5. How can I help? – A top priority for People Managers is removing barriers, this question is the direct ask to you. And the answer will vary from situation to situation.

6. If you’re saying Yes to this, what are you saying No to? - This is the strategy question. There are other versions to think about, but what you’re getting to is the “how”. This is not the time for you to have all the answers.

7. What was most useful for you? - All the questions build to this. I use a version of this question in every coaching conversation. This is the learning.

How would this change the impact of your one-on-ones?