Emily (00:08)

Let's talk about pitfalls. These are the trends that we naturally fall into and in some cases have to unlearn. If you're not having a very productive time in your one on ones or they're not as consistent as you'd like them to be, then you're not alone.

The first problem is finding the time, especially with everyone's busy schedules. But it's important to prioritize one on ones even above other meetings. They should always happen regularly to keep lines of communication flowing, and so both people can address challenges as quickly as they come up. Next is staying focused and keeping on track.

It can be easy for the conversation to go off-topic into tactical details or less constructive things. This might lead to a conversation becoming more confusing than it is clarifying. Another challenge is building rapport and trust between two parties. It might be difficult to establish an open and honest dialog if there are any previous tensions or simply if you don't know each other that well.

1-on-1s can often feel one-sided. As the manager, you might be setting up the meeting, driving the conversation or recommending what the other person should do. This can come off as micromanaging rather than a space for your team member to share about their world. You should use the one on one as an opportunity to practice coaching instead of telling. 1-on-1s also commonly lack this feeling of continuity. What we mean by this is when items that were discussed in the last 1-on-1 doesn't have any further follow-up and just kind of falls off a cliff. You might have set a handful of next steps, but then it was never checked on again. It's important to close the loop on action items so that everyone benefits from accountability and gets the good effects of sharing their progress.