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Try to view the weekly or monthly meeting as an opportunity to develop rather than just to check in with your boss. Make a point of using the time to learn.
If you want to get more out of your one-to-one time with your boss, the first step to take is to change your mindset. If you have the wrong attitude to your meeting it will be fruitless.
If you spend the majority of the meeting reporting on status, you may not get as much out of the time as you'd like. Try to limit the time you spend status reporting.
Make a point of sharing in successes. Try to kick off each one-on-one with a success story (this may well be easier if your meetings are monthly rather than weekly).
If you must spend time reporting on status, it is best to prepare a bullet point summary and perhaps even submit it beforehand, so as not to waste precious discussion time.
Sharing a success story as the first item of the agenda will help set a positive mood for the meeting. If you have a second one, save it for the end so you can finish on a high.
You will likely have problems to discuss and solutions to find. Instead of asking your boss how to approach a particular problem, make your own suggestion first.
You may find it fruitful to discuss an article you have both read, perhaps one that discusses a particular issue that your team is facing or may face in the near future.
This will make for a more efficient meeting, as it is much easier for a boss to give their thoughts on a proposed solution than to go through everything and come up with one themselves.
Think about the topics that you want to discuss at the next full team meeting and perhaps make a suggestion for how the meeting should be structured.
Whatever the principle discussed by the article, talk to your boss about how it may be applied to your team and the work that you do.
You may use some of the time to plan your next team meeting; as many of us know, it's all too easy to go off track during a team meeting in a more than inefficient way.
It's great if you're on track to achieve your goals, but if not, use your one-on-one to discuss where you may be going wrong and what can be done about it.
A one-on-one can be a great opportunity to discuss what is true and what is not. You may also discuss how best to deal with the rumor mill and prevent the spread of misinformation.
It is a good exercise to discuss the topic of leadership itself. You don't necessarily need to choose an example of leadership from within your own team or company.
You could choose a leadership story from the news and discuss with your boss about how you think the leader handled the situation and what you might have done differently.
Work out what is motivating you at work and what is not. Use your one-on-one to share with your boss what you think gives you energy and what doesn't.
Try to discuss how you might create more positive energy for yourself and your colleagues on a daily basis.
Spending some time thinking about the big picture is always valuable. Discuss the direction in which the team is headed, as well as wider topics, such as what is going on in the industry.
You might even talk about what the rumor mill has been churning out lately. Rumors thrive in any workplace, but they often don't reach those in charge.
Be careful not to spend all the time just dreaming about what might be; discuss too what plans you can put into action to makes those dreams come true.
It should come as little surprise that you are not the only one experiencing work-based challenges on a daily basis–your boss has challenges to face too.
A one-on-one can be a great networking opportunity. Don't be shy about asking your boss if they would be willing to share contacts and help you grow your network.
Of course, your boss should be providing you with feedback on a regular basis anyway. But in the event that they forget, be sure to ask for this during your one-on-one.
You might like to ask your boss about the challenges they face and even offer to help wherever possible.
Avoid open-ended questions like "How am I doing?" since these invite open-ended answers. Opt instead for questions like "How do you think I can improve my presentation skills?"
This is also a two-way street: although your manager will likely have more contacts in that industry, you can offer yours up too because you never know what might helpful.
Last, but not least, don't forget to relax and enjoy your one-on-one. It should be an opportunity for you and your boss to get to know each other on a personal level.
Using some of these tips will hopefully help you to maximize the time spent with your boss and you may start dreading that one-on-one just a little bit less.
Sources: (Forbes)
See also: Balancing work and family life: Strategies for success
Remember those goals that you set yourself at the beginning of the quarter? A one-on-one with your boss is the perfect time to discuss your progress.
It is a sad truth that boss-employee one-on-ones often leave a lot to be desired. The meetings are intended as a chance for both boss and employee to connect with each other as people, but poor planning and a bad approach can turn them into something neither party looks forward to.
You'll be glad to hear, then, that there are some simple things you can do to improve the quality of your meetings with your boss.
Check out this gallery for some tips on how to improve your one-on-ones.
How to have a better one-on-one with your boss
Maximize your meeting time
LIFESTYLE Work
It is a sad truth that boss-employee one-on-ones often leave a lot to be desired. The meetings are intended as a chance for both boss and employee to connect with each other as people, but poor planning and a bad approach can turn them into something neither party looks forward to.
You'll be glad to hear, then, that there are some simple things you can do to improve the quality of your meetings with your boss.
Check out this gallery for some tips on how to improve your one-on-ones.