At least once per month, but more if you want, every member of the Tidepool team should meet with Howard in an open ended meeting that lasts at least thirty minutes. The agenda for the one-on-one is set by the employee and its primary intention is to build a trusting, ongoing relationship. This is not a status check-up or performance evaluation, it’s dedicated time where Howard is available to hear what each member of the team is excited or frustrated about, what is blocking or scaring them, and what’s going well or could use improvement.
In addition, if employees work for another manager, like Brandon, they should also set up time to meet regularly.
One-on-ones should be a recurring calendar event, but the schedule is meant to be regular, not rigid. The meeting can be moved if another event is happening at the same time or if the team member feels like they need more time on a given week. The important thing is that the meeting happen.
Agendas for different one-on-ones can vary widely, but this is the team member’s meeting, so they should have ultimate control. one-on-ones should be a mix of present problems/resolutions and future goals/plans. What is blocking today and how can it be resolved or worked around? What do you want the future to look like, and what are the concrete steps you’ll take to get there?
One-on-ones are also a good place to give and receive feedback. Talk about what’s working well and why it’s particularly effective. Ask what you can be doing better and where the team can improve.
It’s useful to take notes during the meeting, so that you can ask about how things have changed in the future. It’s also useful to take notes between meetings -- if you notice something that you’d like to talk about, a note will make sure you address it in your next one-on-one.