Meeting One-on-One With Every Last Staffer

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  pesc10/07/08 Report as spam
  1

  RE: Meeting One-on-One With Every Last Staffer

  I think meeting each staffer several times a year is often impractical. What if you are a global company or even just geographically diverse etc etc?
  
  Anyway, at Mother Aetna (as she was once referred to) the rule was that each manager met every direct report at least once a week, and each "one down" once a quarter. And, some managers then also attended "one-down" meetings (where they were meeting with "two- and three-downs") to keep pulse, and keep an open door policy etc. Especially since The Aetna was also a master at the "stnad up" meeting -- more or less informally, we had periodic department meetings standing up in the aisle's between cube land.
  
  Seemed to work there, and honestly, it felt like one of the best managed companies i'd ever worked for in my 20+ yrs employed.
  
  P

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  seansilverthorne@...10/07/08 Report as spam
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  One Down

  I think the "one down" concept is very powerful. It really breaks through the space between levels very effectively. Thanks for sharing!
  
  Sean

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  pena77710/07/08 Report as spam
  3

  RE: Meeting One-on-One With Every Last Staffer

  This may sound ideal, but may prove impractical for several reasons or given different scenarios. The "one-down" concept as described by P appears to offer better potential in addressing my need to touch base with my team and across all levels. Thanks for sharing!
  
  GEP

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  Sujitha10/07/08 Report as spam
  4

  RE: Meeting One-on-One With Every Last Staffer

  Great ideas on the one-down approach. Very practical and do-able. The other ways to stay connected is to design communication schemes - quarterly town-halls, monthly reviews, quarterly newsletters, informal birthday bashes, helpdesk, and so on. I have led large teams and all of these help greatly. Initially have a committee of staff (across age groups) who can define what is to be communicated and how often, and then operationalise it over a period of time. Checks and balances to be provided by this committee, and to bring in fresh ideas. The composition of the committee to be changed periodically, by bringing in new employees (alternate perspectives). Its all about facetime of senior leadership, shared vision and approachability. Keeping the buzz level in the organisation is a full time job..great leaders do it most naturally!

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  kent@...10/08/08 Report as spam
  5

  RE: Meeting One-on-One With Every Last Staffer

  I manage 14 highly talented IT staff, with 10 direct reports. I have found that a one on one meeting once a fortnight with direct reports (an hour a day) has a number of benefits, and even staff that have moved into my area highly sceptical of the process now rates the fortnightly process essential.
  
  A manager once removed meeting once a quarter keeps me in touch with not so direct reports.
  
  We have a standard agenda: Development, Priorities and then generally how are you going, with a change in focus of the general one every few months.
  
  Meetings are documented, and results are mapped. For employee development, goals with dates are set and made a priority.
  
  It's a great way to keep in touch with the non squeaky wheels that are performing.
  
  The key reason to manage this way is a genuine interest in employee development and performance. If you're not in management for this reason, employees will see right through you and the meetings will be a waste of time.

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  RakeshGupta10/08/08 Report as spam
  6

  RE: Meeting One-on-One With Every Last Staffer

  There is a no denying the fact the HR Managers must know all their employees well enough to understand their strengths and weaknesses. My primary career back home was Army. We start our careers as Platoon Commanders with 36 men directly under command. As Company Commanders it rises to 160 and indeed to 1000 plus as the Battalion Commander.
  It might sound improbable to know all these men well enough, but believe me, it isn't. These 1000 odd guys would lay down their lives at your command and unless that mutual trust and respect has been established, this ain't going to happen.
  I apply the same principle in my current job and I command due respect from my 50 odd colleagues across six geographically diverse locations. They confide in me because they know I will understand their problems because I know their problems, no matter how often I personally get to meet them. Sincerity is the hallmark of this issue.
  Rakesh Gupta