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I started one on ones with my team few weeks back. Overall, it is going well except for one. This person said there is nothing to talk every week. Feels that having one on one every week is very artificial way to build relationships. I canceled the 1-1 since it was getting awkward to manage the situation every week. This person is very smart. However, extremely intimidating to approach. I am looked at with contempt every time I have to talk or even pass by . I am new to the organization and do not have enough technical knowledge on exact thing he is working on. The person expects that I need to be at same technical level and understand and follow everything easily. I also started observing that he doesn't get the priorities right and things are falling apart. Issues which can be closed do not get closed though he seem to be thinking that he is working on highest priority task I gave him. I am not able to understand the progress made on what I communicated. I feel like this situation needs to be taken care of. My lack of technical expertise is just making it worse. I am hoping if somehow I can revive one on ones and communication with this person, it will help. I also do not like the idea of having one on ones with everyone except him. I do not want the team to know about this and start talking about this.
Please suggest how to handle this situation.
Don't give up - Start Over
This direct report will be a challenge. Some of the One on One behaviours to get to know them have seemed artificial to them so far. That is their issue, not yours. Provided that you are open and honest in your behaviour around developping the relationship, their relucatance becomes their issue. For example, if you ask about their personal life, their interests, etc. and it has not worked, then skip that part for now and come back to it later when you have developed some traction with the meeting.
If they have nothing to say initially, it certainly appears that you have a few things to communicate about your expectations of deliverables and their sticking to priorities. Do not let their technical abilities intimidate you. If you wish a long career in management with increasing responsibility over time, you will want and need to have directs that are more skilled than you in specific areas. That will be a key part of your success. Some of them will be difficult to manage, others won't. It takes time.
The weekly one on one is your expertise. It is part of the approach you use to manage your directs and drive your team to results. You must set the tone that this is how you work and stick to it. It may be that for several weeks the half hour scheduled only works to be 15 minutes. My experience with similar directs has shown that they eventually increase their participation. I can't pinpoint the reason why in every case, but it just happens.
Trust the One on Ones, and trust yourself - youll get there.
Good luck
Frankie
I also think that you
I also think that you shouldn't let your lack of technical knowledge be seen as YOUR weakness. It's not your job to be at the same level as him, it's his job to deliver the defined measurable results at the specified time (something that it sounds like he isn't doing despite his high level of expertise).
Don't get bamboozled
Technical people can sometimes hide their weaknesses by throwing around a lot of jargon.
Don't stop the one on ones because you and he have different skill sets. That's true for just about everyone in the world.
Please let us know how it's going...
John Hack
Different skill sets..
Isn't part of their role to help you understand the technical stuff at a non-technical level?
It will be easier for you to provide what they need to be successful, if you know what the heck they need in terms you can work with..
I see the goal of O3's to build a relationship at a common level. A person I have O3s with calls them our Ozone meetings.. but I digress.. I am still not very comfortable with O3s. I am currently breaking one of the rules.. They are not consistent.. I am doing them every other week too..
They are very foreign to myself and those who report to me.
I am very interested to hear how you progress with this.
-Charlie
my boss doesn't do one on ones
My manager doesn't do regular "one on ones"? Is there anyway to encourage the practice?
Regards,
Bob
Your wish is their command -
Your wish is their command - Mark and Mike already have a cast on this very topic:
http://www.manager-tools.com/2008/11/boss-one-on-ones-professional-updates