I asked if our home phone had dialtone. One son asked what that was. Mobile phones have completely changed how kids see telephones.

Recently

Encouraging 1:1s from other managers in your organization (Jan 4)

If you’re managing other managers, encourage them to hold their own 1:1s. It’s such an important tool for managing and leading that everyone needs to be holding them.

One on One Meetings - a collection of posts about 1:1s (Jan 2)

A collection of all my writing on 1:1s

Are 1:1s confidential? (Jan 2)

Is the discussion that occurs in a 1:1 confidential, even if no agreed in the meeting to keep it so?

Skip-level 1:1s are your hidden superpower (Jan 1)

Holding 1:1s with peers and with people far below you on the reporting chain will open your eyes up to what’s really going on in your business.

Do you need a 1:1 if you’re regularly communicating with your team? (Dec 28)

You’re simply not having deep meaningful conversation about the process of work in hallway conversations or in your chat apps.

What agenda items should a manager bring to a 1:1? (Dec 23)

At least 80% of a 1:1 agenda should be driven by your report, but if you also to use this time to work on things with them, then you’ll have better meetings.

Handling “I don’t have anything to talk about” in your 1:1s (Dec 21)

When someone says they have nothing to discuss, they’re almost always thinking too narrowly.

What should you talk about in a 1:1? (Dec 19)

Who sets the agenda? What should you discuss, and what should you avoid discussing?