Great leaders conduct one-on-one meetings with their direct reports. They don’t view these meetings as a waste of time or an unnecessary part of organizational life. Instead, they leverage them for the health and growth of the team member and the organization. The reasons for a one-on-one can be varied, but here are four of the greatest benefits. 

1. REGULAR ENCOURAGEMENT 

According to research by Dr. Gary Chapman and Paul White, one of the five languages of appreciation in the workplace is words of affirmation. A one-on-one gives you a place to personally encourage and affirm team members. Furthermore, they give you an opportunity to express to your team members the value and importance of their contribution to the organization. 

2. CLEAR COMMUNICATION

Teams cannot function without clear and consistent communication. A one-on-one helps you give and receive regular communication updates. This is especially helpful when you need to communicate things that are only relevant to a specific team member.

3. GOAL PROGRESS

One-on-one’s allow you to stay up-to-date on a team member’s goals, the progress they’re making, and the areas where they’re getting stuck. They serve as a time for you to give perspective, offer wisdom, help them get unstuck, and hold them accountable.

4. PERFORMANCE COACHING 

One-on-one’s are an excellent time to provide coaching to your team members. In some cases, you will coach them in areas where you’ve observed a need for improvement. In other cases, you’ll coach them when they express a desire to grow in a specific area of life or leadership. 

Need help conducting effective one-on-one meetings with your direct reports? Check out The Insanely Practical Guide on How to Lead a One-On-One Meeting. You’ll learn:

• How to Introduce One-On-One’s to Your Team
• Ten Keys to a Successful One-On-One
• The One-On-One Meeting MAPP (a simple yet powerful meeting template for supervisors to use with their team members)
• The Team Member’s One-On-One Meeting Planner (a great tool to help team member’s prepare for a one-on-one with their supervisor)