Everyone is a great leader until they’re leading people with completely different personality traits and values from their own. Here are five one-on-one conversations every people manager should have with their team to ensure alignment at all times.
Conversation 1: Sharing Journeys
People are more than just their CV. It’s important for leaders to understand what makes their team members tick, and it’s equally important for team members to understand what makes their leader tick. Sharing journeys is an opportunity to open up and build trust, revealing the human behind the role.
Great questions to ask (send questions in advance):
- What is the best decision you ever made? This reveals what a person values in terms of outcomes and experiences.
- Describe a time you felt really proud of yourself. This highlights achievements or qualities a person values.
- What is the most important lesson you’ve learned in life? This shows what experiences have shaped a person’s values.
- Who do you admire and why? The qualities a person admires in others often reflect their own values.
Conversation 2: Motivation
What motivates you might differ from what motivates your team. Understanding motivation on a personal level allows you to find better ways to reward good work.
Great questions to ask (ask in the moment):
- What aspects of a job are most important to you?
- Describe a time when you felt most motivated at work. What factors contributed to that feeling?
- How do you prefer to be recognized for your work?
Common motivators you might discover: Recognition and appreciation, career advancement, financial reward, autonomy, work-life balance, personal growth, impact and purpose, positive work environment, job security, enjoyment of tasks, and working with a supportive team.
Conversation 3: Alignment of Expectations
It’s crucial to align your expectations regarding how you’d like to work together.
This conversation should include:
- Your responsibilities when delegating a task.
- Their responsibilities when a task is delegated to them.
- Expectations regarding scheduled meetings.
- Preferred methods of communication in different situations.
- How feedback is given and received.
- When it’s appropriate to take time off (planned and unplanned) and how to communicate this. This is typically where I communicate that incidents regarding health and family always take precedence over work, as long as they are communicated appropriately.
A verbal agreement needs to be reached by the end of this conversation. Refer back to this conversation when re-alignment is needed in the future.
Conversation 4: Future Building
If you’re not invested in the future of your team, why should they want a future in your team at all?
Great questions to ask (send questions in advance):
- What do you enjoy most about your current role?
- What skills or experiences do you want to gain from your current position?
- What are your career goals for the next few years?
- Where would you like to be in five years?
Go out of your way to help your team members achieve their long-term goals.
Conversation 5: Performance Reviews
Great leaders help their team members grow and succeed within the company. Performance reviews are essential for this growth. There are two types of performance reviews that you should apply. One is about giving feedback in the moment, and the other is about providing a regular opportunity (at least once a month) to give and receive feedback.
Giving positive feedback is easy; providing constructive criticism is not. Next week, I’ll share some frameworks to help you with this.
It’s a Wrap (For Now)
Have these five conversations with your team, and your work relationships will blossom while aligning expectations.
