Shortly after publishing my last trU Tips on doing effective One-on-Ones (read it here), I received a note from a leader I respect. I have never worked with him, but every time we talk he asks me questions that make me think. He is also very willing to try new things. He is a very valuable part of my network.
Let me call this trU Tips 22.1. In addition to the two questions I recommend once you mastered the basic One-on-one conversation, a third question to ask is – What should I keep doing the same?
Remember the goal of a One-on-One is to build trust and focus by creating space for your people to talk about what they are getting done, where they need help, and get a sense for how they are performing vs the standards you have set for them. The advanced questions are about getting feedback for you that will help you continuously refine your own effectiveness as a leader. Think of these three questions:
- What do I need to do more of?
- What should I keep doing the same? (the new question)
- What do I need to do less of?
If you ask these questions and log in the answers over a 3-6 month period, I guarantee it will give you the same results as a professionally administered 360 feedback tool. In financial terms, the choice is listen for free or spend five figures having someone else listen for you.
I love my network – they make me better. I am listening.