Mac Lake offers a good working agenda for the next time you meet with a direct report or someone you’re mentoring:
- Personal – I like to start my one on ones by asking about the individual and how they are doing personally. I may ask about their family, spiritual health or a circumstance I know they are going through personally. But this is my opportunity to connect with them and also to care for their soul.
- Priorities – I have each of my direct reports write up to five goals each semester. So when we meet one on one (usually every two weeks) we talk about those priority goals and how things are going. This allows me to hear about progress or challenges they’re facing and gives me the opportunity to coach them on their top priorities.
- Problems – I always like to ask, are there any problems you are facing that I can help you with? Just in case they are working on something that is outside of their priority goals this gives them the opportunity to talk about other issues they may be facing that I can help with. It may be an issue with another employee, a challenge with another department or even a problem they are having with my leadership. This helps me keep a finger on the pulse of their spirit or morale.
- Plan – This part only takes a couple of minutes. You simply a restate anything you or your direct report committed to do as follow up to the one on one. I would recommend putting a due date on the actions agreed upon. ( I always forget this part and it gets me I trouble all the time)
- Prayer – End your one on one by asking how you can pray for your direct report, then pray specifically for their needs. This once again allows you to practice soul care for this individual.