How to Prepare for a One-On-One with Your Leader

In today’s episode of the Leader Fluent Podcast, I’m talking about “How to Prepare for a One-On-One with Your Leader.” If you’re a team member, I’ll share four questions you can ask to prepare or your one-on-one. And if you’re a leader, you can use these four questions to train your team how to come prepared for their meeting.

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SHOW NOTES:

One-on-one meetings with your boss, supervisor, or leader are an important part of organizational life. In some environments, one-on-ones are a consistent part of the workflow. In other environments, they are erratic or even non-existent. 

What’s the key to a successful one-on-one meeting? Preparation. So, how can you prepare for a one-on-one meeting with your leader. I recommend four simple questions that can have a powerful impact: 

1. Communication: What updates do I need to provide?

This part of the meeting is primarily designed to keep your supervisor in the know. Generally, this is a quick summary of the things you want your leader to be aware of. Bosses hate surprises, and the communication part of the meeting is your opportunity to keep them aware of updates on projects, decisions you’ve made, or issues that might affect them, the department, the team, or the organization. 

2. Clarification: What questions do I need to ask? 

If you don’t understand something, it’s your job to ask for clarification. You might seek clarification about unclear expectations, timelines, next steps, or other important items. Don’t leave it to chance. Ask quickly and kindly and be sure to take notes.

One-on-one meetings help leaders cultivate healthy people, teams, and organizations. In this insanely practical guide, you’ll learn the why and how of leading one-on-one’s, and how to introduce the idea to your team. Plus, you’ll get two tools: 1) A meeting planner to help team members prepare for a one-on-one; 2) A One-On-One Supervisor Meeting MAPP to help you guide the meeting. Download this 21-page guide today.

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3. Challenges: What problems, challenges, or ideas do I want to discuss? 

Every team member experiences problems or challenges in their work. You might be hitting a wall with a new strategy, struggling to resolve a conflict with another team member, or dealing with a crisis or looming problem. Do your best to come to the meeting with solutions to problems, and then seek your leader’s perspective and advice. 

On the other hand, you might have a new idea you’d like to pitch to your leader. It might be a new product, an improved service, a more effective strategy, or an innovative solution to an organizational challenge. The key is to pitch your idea without expecting an immediate response. Give your leader time to think about it without being pushy or demanding. 

4. Coaching: In what areas do I want to learn or grow? 

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