#2 Kickarse catch up series

If our parents only had conversations with us about what we need to get done, how do you think we would feel? Would we be close? Would we feel seen and cared about? I don’t know about you, but that would feel pretty transactional to me.

If we had a romantic relationship where we are only concerned with them cleaning up the mess on the floor and getting jobs done, then how do you reckon the relationship would feel? To me that’s functioning. Not relating.

So it’s no surprise that if we catch up with our people and we only discuss what’s on their to-do list then we are missing out on a massive opportunity. Anyone can discuss to-do lists. That’s just being organised. Our role is to help our people get the things in front of them done, but it’s not enough.

1on1s are just the system. It’s what we put in them that matters. To make them kickarse we need more than task. Task is a good start but that’s not all it is. 

If we are getting to our formal performance reviews and spending a lot of time on what has happened then that’s a sign. A sign we are not focused outside task. That’s a fast track to demotivating our people – which is the opposite of what we are hoping to do.

People don’t want taskmasters. They want to be better. To know they are making a difference and how to do that well. That requires more than a conversation about to-do lists.

Do you think your 1on1s could be better? And do you wanna learn how to make them kickarse? 

Then sign up for my half day workshop, How to have kickarse catch ups here, or you can check out all my upcoming events here.