Forums

Excellent timing on this one guys. Tomorrow is my very first Manager Tools style one on one with my boss. I was just getting ready to listen to the old one on one podcasts again when I spotted this.

You guys just keep helping my career out, don't you? :) Thanks for the consistent, excellent material - I wish I could have taken a class in this many many years ago~

mauzenne's picture
Admin Role Badge

Our pleasure ... thanks for the kind words!

Regards,
Mike

BJ_Marshall's picture
Licensee BadgeTraining Badge

I can echo the perfect timing. My boss is thinking about doing one-on-ones, and I am ready to jump on-board.

His interest came about today in my quarterly performance review. I mentioned how conducting O3s with my staff has surpassed my wildest expectations, and we all actually look forward to them! (They really ARE the most effective meetings I have; I will never doubt M&M ever again!) Many of the things I told my boss I wanted to work on during my last performance review (more effective delegation, better coaching) were things I was about to couch within O3s.

I told him about Manager Tools. Let's see what comes of it. Even if he doesn't elect to listen to the MT way of doing O3s, at least the current podcast will help me make the most of it.

Cheers,
BJ

MattJBeckwith's picture
Licensee BadgeTraining Badge

Even though I have a great professional relationship with my manager - and very regular weekly one on ones, this 'cast was a great reminder of how to keep them effective.

BJ_Marshall's picture
Licensee BadgeTraining Badge

The podcast stated that it was geared specifically for making us more effective in our O3s with our boss. But I am seeing how this cast could help me steer my directs through feedback into having better O3s with me. What do you think?

For example, the podcast mentions that we should always have better follow-up notes than our boss. If I'm conducting an O3 with one of my directs and find their notes are poorer than mine, couldn't I give them some feedback? "When your follow-up notes miss things I catch, here's what happens: these meetings end up being not as effective as they can be; you demonstrate a lack of preparedness, and I see an inattention to detail. What can you do differently?"

OK, that might be high-D feedback, but I think you get the picture. The points M&M drive home about how WE can be better directs can be areas for feedback to encourage our directs to be better O3 directs, right?

Cheers,
BJ

WillDuke's picture
Training Badge

Listen to the cast again. M&M saw you, and me, coming. :)

BJ_Marshall's picture
Licensee BadgeTraining Badge

I listened to the podcast again, but I'm still having difficulty wrapping my mind around why I shouldn't give feedback to my staff on how they can be more effective with our O3s. Please forgive me if I'm being difficult, but I would really like help in understanding this.

The podcast reminded us that we are directs, too. Check. We were also informed that M&M's advice will help us avoid behaviors that bosses hate. Check.

My directs are, well, directs. And they do things that their boss (me) doesn't like. Here's an analogy, with the only difference being one level of hierarchy:

My Direct : Me :: I : My Boss

Perhaps the "only difference being one level of hierarchy" makes all the difference, and therein lies the rub. Right, he asks hopefully? Please chime in - maybe you can bring me some perspective I'm missing.

Cheers,
BJ

ramiska's picture

[quote]My Direct : Me :: I : My Boss
[/quote]
Right on the mark.

[quote]. . . why I shouldn't give feedback to my staff on how they can be more effective with our O3s.[/quote]
The O3 is about them and [i]their[/i] needs. If you truly believe that their time is their time, you can't tell them what they need to talk about. Try not to cringe visibly. :wink:

krguy33's picture

I have always felt like something was missing from my one-on-ones with the boss, After listing to this cast it turns out about three things are missing!!! I have a new outlook on my one-on-ones with the boss.

They never taught me this type of valuable information at B school, I wonder if I can get some of that money back?

WillDuke's picture
Training Badge

The first 10 minutes of the O3 is supposed to be about what the direct wants to talk about. If you tell them what to talk about then you have changed the format of the O3.

Now, if they ask what you'd like to hear, then that's what they want. Give them the information. Otherwise, let them have their time.

Jim Clark's picture
Licensee BadgeTraining Badge

How can show my manager I'm proactive in working the various issues, providing a status, etc., without waiting for the meeting to tell him verbally?

My boss sends me a two or three page list of subjects he want to talk about a week in advance of him coming to town. I've sent him electronic updates in advance of the meeting, even told him over the phone, on some items thinking we wouldn't have to go over them, but we still do as if I didn't send him anything at all. Seems like a lot of wasted time

Jim

BJ_Marshall's picture
Licensee BadgeTraining Badge

Thanks for the perspective. This is what M&M meant by not letting efficiency get in the way of effectiveness. My direct might ramble and so on, but I will not cringe visibly.

BJ

Chelle's picture

Jim - Sounds to me like your manager wants to get the information the way he wants to get it - by discussing it with you per the agenda. I had a manager like this, she didn't want any information until she wanted it - and in the way she wanted it.

If you're trying to free up time so that there's more face to face time to discuss items that are important to you, perhaps that takes another meeting? Or maybe you can request time in the scheduled meeting to bring up your own agenda?

Or maybe I'm just way off base ;)