Meetings can be fun, inspirational, informative, educational, or all of the above. They’re a great way to communicate with your team, either as a group or one on one. Here are a few things to remember specifically when meeting with team members individually.
Get comfortable
For a one on one meeting, be sure to choose a location where a private conversation can take place with little to no interruptions, both parties should feel comfortable to speak without the fear of the conversation being overheard.
Have a regular meeting schedule
Meeting with a manager can be a source of anxiety for some people, you can help ease their anxiety by scheduling regular catch up meetings, for example you might meet for 15 minutes, on the same day, at the same time, every week. This may seem counterintuitive, but having more frequent meetings, even if they are brief, helps to create an open line of communication, which will help your staff to feel more comfortable about meeting with you one on one.
A regular meeting schedule also reminds your staff to keep moving towards their goals, and lets you see if they’re staying on track.
Keep it positive
A one on one meeting is the perfect time to bring up all of the things your staff member needs to improve on, but don’t let it be the focus of the meeting. Make sure to take time to tell them all the things they’re doing well, and celebrate their successes.
Work together to set and achieve goals
Set realistic goals that benefit both the staff member’s career goals, and the salon, spa or clinic’s business goals. Work together to come up with a plan for how they will reach the goals. They may need further support or training, so setting goals without a plan, is just setting them up to fail.
Listen carefully
Individual meetings work best when both people have a chance to speak and share their thoughts and opinions on a subject. Remember, your team member’s perception of a situation is their reality, none of us are perfect and we often don’t see things in exactly the same way. You should aim to be attentive, not defensive, as your ability to embrace other points of views will further establish your success as a leader.
When you encourage open and honest communication, your staff will be more likely to tell you what’s really going on in their life, and in your salon, spa or clinic. You may find out that a staff member is planning to start a family or take an extended vacation, or you might learn that a staff member is unhappy with their role or work environment. Being in the know means you can deal with any issues as they arise instead of being surprised when you finally find out what’s going on.
Finish strong
Always end all your communications with a genuine positive comment. Praise your staff for something they’ve done well, and show them that you believe that they can meet their goals.
If you don’t have a regular meeting scheduled, take a moment to plan your next meeting and agree on the actions that will take place before then.
Meetings are essential to creating a culture of communication, and help keep your team motivated and on track to reach their goals. Use the tips above to make the most of your one on one meetings, and also check back for our upcoming blog about how to hold effective team meetings.
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