Bee22 Pianezza

Anytime you are preparing to have a one-on-one conversation with a direct-report, you need to ask yourself in advance: What do I need to talk with this person about?<br />
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Everybody is different. Some employees you need to talk big picture; you need to talk strategy. Some employees you need to talk through their To-Do list.<br />
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Everybody is different. With some employees you need to talk about the project plan. And maybe you need to give that person big goals and big deadlines; big guidelines and parameters; and ask that person to go back to his or her desk and make a project plan. But some employees you need to go through their To-Do list and help them make a check-list.<br />
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Some employees you need to talk through exactly what that person is going to do today, step-by-step so you can warn that person of pitfalls. Another person you might talk through what they're going to do that day step-by-step so you can remind him or her of some short-cuts. Everybody is different.<br />
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Here's one very simple rule: In EVERY one-on-one conversation with EVERY direct-report, make sure ---before you're done talking to that person--- that you spell out exactly what you want that person to focus on between now and the next time you're going to talk.<br />
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BONUS MANAGEMENT BEST PRACTICE<br />
Any employee you manage who answers to multiple bosses will thank you if EVERY TIME YOU GIVE THAT PERSON AN ASSIGNMENT YOU SAY THESE THREE SENTENCES:<br />
- "What are all the other assignments you are currently working on?"<br />
- "Once you accept this assignment from me, make sure your other managers know that you are working on something for me."<br />
- "If ANYTHING else might get in the way of you completing this assignment for me on time, let me know as soon as the obstacle appears." <br />