1:1 Dialogue

Regular 1:1 dialogue is a way to ensure regular positive attention on each team member. The 1:1 dialogue provides an option to identify what is important to each individual and provide people proper feedback on the work they are doing

An important prerequisite for the personal dialogue is trust.Often people do not talk about their personal needs and concerns unless trust has been established between the dialogue partners.

The spontaneous dialogue can be  the ideal place to catch things as they happen. In projects with delivery pressure this spontaneous dialogue can however be missed. This can also be the case when team members are located in different locations. 

Scheduled 1:1 dialogue can be a method to ensure that the important focus on each team member is not forgotten when delivery pressure is high

Activities

• Define who is the right person for the 1:1 dialogue
• Identify need for 1:1 dialogue (may be with selected team members)
• Call in for 1:1 meetings when a project starts or when entering a new phase
• Call in for regular meetings (typically 0,5 – 1 hour)
• Prepare and conduct meetings

Topics to consider

It is always good to keep the questions in mind: What can I do to support you?

Some typical topics to cover:

Current work

• Employees statement about how it is going
• Difficult issues the team member is dealing with / how can issues be handled
• Feedback on performance
• Presentation of upcoming tasks

Motivation and work life

• Current state (e.g. need for recovery or new challenges)
• Professional attitude (preference for high quality, clear deadlines etc) 
• Working time (including family obligations, preferences regarding working time)
• Specific task preferences, strengths and weaknesses
• Work space requirements
• Equipment 
• Work capacity and stress level
• Need for recognition (e.g. social or through financial reward)

Development plans

• Development plans
• Need for coaching and regular feedback
• Training needs