Schedule regular, meaningful one-on-one meetings using open-ended questions and Quan's well-being framework to address concerns, support employees, and maintain professional boundaries.
Let’s talk about one of the most effective ways to enhance your team's well-being: one-on-one meetings.
Make One-on-Ones Regular and Dialogic
First of all, one-on-one meetings should be regular and filled with meaningful dialogue rather than you handing out directives while your reports take notes. If you're not already holding regular one-on-ones, you should really start now!
Research shows the significant value of these check-ins, first because it helps each person feel noticed and helps them feel you are accessible if they should ever need help.
They don’t have to be weekly, and they don’t have to be lengthy. One on ones are a chance to extend your team dialogue into a private space where individual concerns can be raised and discussed.
One of the most common complaints about one on ones is they are inefficient and repetitive.
Avoid running down a checklist of what the person has done for the past week and instead ask an open-ended question like, “How’s it going this week?” to get started. Don’t be satisfied with a one-word answer like, “fine.”
If you get a ‘pat’ answer, ask a follow-up question like, ‘What’s working well right now?’ or ‘What’s getting in your way of doing your best work?’
Given the chance, most people will share something meaningful that leads to a good coaching dialogue where you can help them reframe a situation for a better approach or reset expectations based on the latest circumstances.
Integrate Quan Well-being Framework
Incorporate Quan results into your one-on-ones by simply asking, 'How are you doing this week?' and following up with a prompt like, 'I’d love to hear more about that'.
Quan provides you with a framework and vocabulary to use in these conversations, making them more personalized and beneficial. Bring up a topic from your team discussion or look at your team scores to find an interesting thread to explore.
By discussing well-being topics during one-on-ones, you can identify and address role conflicts or workload issues that could lead to burnout.
Ask questions like, 'Are you feeling good about your responsibilities?' or 'Do you need more clarity around your role in this project?' to unpack issues or hidden concerns.
Maintain Boundaries and Offer Support
For most people, it’s a relief to have a boss who cares about the important things going on in their work and personal life, but you don't want to turn your one-on-ones into therapy or complaint sessions.
Ask high-level, open-ended questions like, ‘Did you find the Quan process helpful?’ or ‘Do you have anything you’d like to discuss after seeing your assessment results?’ This type of question opens the door for well-being without asking everyone to disclose their results.
Just like team meetings, your role in one-on-ones is to create safe space, not be on a mission to diagnose, evaluate, and fix everyone’s personal problems.
There is an important line between professional and personal concerns you’ll want to maintain, but dealing with stress, avoiding burn-out, and managing anxiety are all appropriate to discuss in any context.
Listen to concerns and ask people for what they need. Many times, that simple opening leads them to feel powerful about addressing things on their own.
Prompts like, 'Do you need help with that?' or 'Is there anything I can do to support you?' show that you care and understand, which is the main goal of these interactions. If you feel an issue is significant or troubling, refer the person to HR or external resources for professional support.
The bottom line for running a good one-on-one meeting is to ask more questions and listen more than you are talking.
If you find yourself filling space with extra directions or running down a checklist of mundane details simply stop and ask a question.
Let the other person use the time to ask you for support and address topics where they need guidance. If you run out of things to discuss, you can always end early!
It’s most important that you reach out on a regular basis, ask how people are doing, and create room for them to address their concerns.
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