Former Intel CEO and legendary businessman Andy Grove said in his book “High Output Management“ that if he had only one management tool available to him it would be the monthly meeting. If you manage people, I can’t stress enough the importance of monthly one-on-one meetings. In today’s fast-paced business climate with most communication via email, text or Zoom, face-to-face meetings are much rarer than in the past. A lot of miscommunication or misinterpretation can happen via email so a monthly meeting of an hour or so can be very helpful.
Throughout the month, put notes or emails in a file about things you want to discuss with those who report to you that aren’t important enough to merit an immediate meeting. Prior to each monthly meeting, review the items in the file and, if you’re like me, you’ll end up not discussing most of the items, because with the benefit of a little time you’ll find most really weren’t that important.
The format of the meeting goes like this:
The person you’re meeting with begins the meeting by reviewing action items assigned at the last meeting and the status of each. You then bring up new items and they are discussed. The items that are discussed and not resolved go on the action item list for the next meeting. The list is then sent to you after the meeting so you can verify that the tasks assigned were properly understood.
Also, take time at the end of the meeting to discuss personal issues if the person you’re meeting with is comfortable doing so with you. Remember, people don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.
Jim Sobeck is CEO of New South Construction Supply, a building products distributor based in Greenville with 10 locations in the Carolinas, Georgia and Florida. He is the author of “The Real Business 101: Lessons From the Trenches.” newsouthsupply.com.
