Invariably when you ask employees what they consider to be the two biggest challenges at work they say communication and teamwork. No surprise there. It has been this way for years, even decades. Maybe even since the beginning of time. Why?

We know the problem, but struggle with the solution.

I’m convinced that communication is about motivation and opportunity and teamwork is about common goals and alignment.

Wouldn’t it stand to reason that if we continue to struggle with the same issues we have not yet found a formula that works. And if we keep executing the same ineffective formula, hoping it will suddenly work, we may be exhibiting signs of insanity. So what does all this have to do with one-on-ones?

One-on-ones seem to be the most underutilized tool available to managers and leaders, but a tool that great leaders seem to rely on. Maybe that is why they are great leaders and invariably achieve better results.

Part of the challenge is that managers and poor leaders still function as producers and/or micromanagers rather than leaders. Great leaders recognize that their job is not to do the work, but to care for those who do the work. When a manager is overly involved in producing their time is split and the manager is caught in a conflict of interest—doing the work or leading the person who is doing the work. Hence, as they focus on producing or micromanaging they never seem to have enough time to do one-on-ones. And when that happens production takes priority over leading.

I have spoken to many managers over the years who have shared frustrations with the dysfunction and ineffectiveness of members of their team. After some discussion about their own management efforts I learn that they do not do regular one-on-ones with their direct reports! Why? Most site a lack of time, lack of motivation, and/or not seeing the value.

One-on-ones are an incredibly powerful tool that remain underutilized by most managers. 

A Harvard Business Review article (https://hbr.org/2016/08/how-to-make-your-one-on-ones-with-employees-more-productive) provides the following tips for more effective one-on-ones (read the article for more in-depth insights to each of the items below):

• Block regular time in your schedule
• Prepare discussion points
• Be fully present
• Start positive
• Problem-solve
• Ask questions about career plans
• Express gratitude (start and end with positivity)

The article goes on the suggest the following principles for effective one-on-ones:

Do:

• Begin each meeting by sharing a win. It creates positive energy.
• Notify your employee in advance if you plan to touch on professional development — those conversations require reflection and thought.
• Be curious. Listen to your colleague’s concerns and provide feedback and ideas on how she might solve problems.

Don’t:

• Cancel. Demonstrate to your employee that he takes priority by arriving on time.
• Be rigid. While it’s wise to have an agenda, it’s also important to be flexible.
• Forget to say “thank you.” It’s important to show your colleague that you value him.

The article also features a couple case studies for those who want to see a one-on-one in action.

Bottom line: If you are not currently doing one-on-ones with your direct reports it is time to do so in order to improve communication and teamwork for good.

Herb Mast is a Leadership Coach and Employee Engagement Specialist. Learn how he can assist you in implementing the principles and concepts presented here.

Does being transparent mean that you need to reveal all things to all people?

Absolutely not!

Not everybody can handle all information and not everybody deserves all information—this is a valid argument but secondary consideration. The primary consideration is a matter of the heart. Your heart. Are you willing to share? Are you willing to let others see into your heart…your true beliefs and motives? Even when it requires you to sacrifice your ego?

The key to transparency is context and whether the information you share will be helpful. If it won’t be helpful, don’t share it. But if it would be helpful are you willing to share, even if it exposes weaknesses and struggles? The ego does not like being exposed. Hence, for self-preservation many people make the mistake of protecting their ego instead of looking after others.

Transparency and vulnerability are fundamental to building trust. That is why leadership requires courage—to be transparent even when it costs you something—so that you can build trust and leadership capital with others.

The next time you feel tempted to withhold information from others, ask yourself these three questions:

1. Can the other person handle the information? (If not, be cautious in sharing)
2. Would the information be helpful to the other person? (If yes, then share)
3. Why would I not share the information transparently? (If the answer is that it requires personal sacrifice to your ego then lean heavy on your courage and share)

Herb Mast is a Leadership Coach and Employee Engagement Specialist. Learn how he can assist you in implementing the principles and concepts presented here.

We will never know everything, and as Neil deGrasse Tyson observed, “A great challenge of life is knowing enough to think you’re doing it right, but not enough to know you’re doing it wrong.”

Two powerful things happen when we ask questions:

1. Others are challenged to dig deeper;
2. We expand our own perspective.

Too many people in positions of power and authority allow their ego to get in the way of effective leadership when they act like they are the smartest person in the room and already have all the answers. Not surprisingly, when we act like we do not need input others stop contributing. That is why humility is one of the most important character traits of great leaders. Humble leaders know that a team is better when all the members are curious, thinking, and contributing.

Research also shows that an amazing thing happens in the brain when others ask for our input—our brains get energized and function better. Part of this is no doubt a result of feeling valued along with the challenge associated with problem solving.

But, asking questions is only half of the equation, listening to the answers is the other half.

When asking questions it is important to listen with authentic interest, both for the benefit of other person, in showing courtesy and respect, and for our own benefit, to glean value from the answer.

A valuable resource to improve your question asking skills is John Maxwell’s book, Good Leaders Ask Great Questions.

A good reminder for leaders is to tell less and to ask more.

Herb Mast is a Leadership Coach and Employee Engagement Specialist. Learn how he can assist you in implementing the principles and concepts presented here.

The fear of crashing typically leads to a fear of flying. A track record of safe landings goes a long way to lessening those fears.

The same holds true in organizations when it comes to trying new things or speaking candidly with a teammate.

We all know that innovation and collaboration (a more valuable form of communication) are the cornerstones of effective business enterprises, but did you know that most innovation and collaboration don’t take place due to fear—fear of failing, repercussions, vulnerability, being misunderstood, conflict, etc.

The process of Innovation and collaboration, finding new and better solutions, involve risk and discomfort, which most people try to avoid unless they feel safe.

In Dare to Lead, Brene Brown, says that we need to teach people how to land before they jump. She says their research shows that leaders who are trained in “rising skills” as part of a courage-building program are more likely to engage in courageous behaviors because they know how to get back up. In her organization they teach falling as part of courage-building during onboarding.

The conundrum is that we want to have brave people on our team, and brave people are going to fall, but if they don’t have the skills to get back up they are going to avoid falling. So we need to teach them the skills to get back up while providing an environment within which they feel comfortable to fall.

In short, the rising skills Brown teaches, are:

1. Reckon with your emotions by noticing and investigating them.
   • Recognize your emotions, by giving yourself permission to feel.
   • Ask yourself why you’re feeling these emotions, be curious and investigate.

The reason this works is that by being curious, you’re automatically coming up with creative solutions.

2. We make up stories to cope with our emotions, but sometimes these stories turn into traps we can’t seem to escape from. 

But it’s just a story you tell yourself, nothing more. Rumbling is about keeping these stories in check. It’s like a BS detector for your own thoughts.

3. Revolutionize your attitude with the results.

When you channel your insights from rumbling into positive changes, a revolution follows.

To take a deeper dive into this topic I recommend reading Rising Strong. 

Great leaders teach their people how to land and encourage them to take brave behaviors so that they are better able to contribute their natural best for the benefit of themselves, their team, and the outcomes being pursued.

Herb Mast is a Leadership Coach and Employee Engagement Specialist. Learn how he can assist you in implementing the principles and concepts presented here.

Somebody doesn’t magically become a leader, nor are they born a leader.

Leadership is developed over time and the best leaders emerge when they simply do the things they love and with conviction speak their minds with integrity and hold to the mission with courage—regardless of whether they are paid to do so.

Sure, some people are born with certain attributes which allow them to be more aggressive or more social or more intelligent, but those attributes do not automatically result in leadership. Those attributes can be applied in a number of different areas besides leadership, including being a good follower.

Further, just because a person is a great leader in one situation does not determine that they will be a great leader in all situations.

Leadership is ultimately about intentional influence in specific directions to achieve the common goals of a team, rather than the goals of the leader. As such, attributes like humility and courage become equally, if not more, important in distinguishing leaders.

Hence, great leadership is about [lifestyle] being true to talents and passions and living your values.

Herb Mast is a Leadership Coach and Employee Engagement Specialist. Learn how he can assist you in implementing the principles and concepts presented here.