Примеры тем для 1-1. Часть 2

В 2016 году я подписался на рассылку от компании Pop Forms. В течение года мне присылали письма с примерами тем для 1-1 встреч.

Берите их на вооружении при возникновение трудностей с подбором темы на ближайший 1-1 ;)

Материалы с 1 по 20 недели читайте в посте Примеры тем для 1-1. Часть 1.

Week # 21

What are you doing really well that is moving you towards your career goals?

This question helps spotlight a core goal and the person's ability to execute towards it. What is this person naturally good at doing? Detailed and standardized operations? Leading and motivating other people on their team? Analytical problem solving and numbers?

What is it that someone does better than the average person that can help them achieve their aspirations?

This is also a great opportunity to check in with their goals, and make sure they are completing tasks that move them in that direction. It can also help them see what goals could be altered to better fir their natural strengths and likes.

What parts of the business would you like to be more involved in or learn more about?

Oftentimes we want people to focus on what they are best at, but the drive to get things done can also hold them back from exploring new things. Take a minute to brainstorm and talk through ideas, developments, or projects in the company that your teammate might be interested in learning more about in the future.

After the meeting will be the hard part though, because then you have to figure out how to make it happen... 😃

Week # 22

Are you having fun? Tell me about the most fun you've had working here.

This is a great way to gauge a person's current interest and level of enjoyment in their job. How long ago did they last have fun? Was it related to their work, their peers, or maybe getting away from their work or peers? If they can't remember the last time they had fun, that is important. But let them think, and try to get them to come up with an answer.

Great follow up questions: What made those moments so enjoyable? What could be changed about your current role to make it more fun?

What is most important to our business -- mission, core values, or vision?

Uh oh, this one might be a good question for you too! Do you know what your company's mission, vision and values are? Or are they not important because you have something else instead? What do you think is most important?

Be prepared to talk about where the company is headed and how this information is shared with your team.

Week # 23

Are you happy that you left your previous job for this one?

This is a question some people may feel compelled to just say "yes" to because you are their boss. It's important that you help make them feel comfortable being honest. Listen; don't interrupt; don't jump to defend yourself or the company. Draw out answers by asking follow-up questions like:

Are you doing the kind of work you had hoped to do when you left? What drew you to this company, and do you feel like your expectations were met? Are there things you miss from your old job (benefits, opportunities) that we could do here?

How long can you see yourself working here?

Another slightly intimidating one, but if they are hesitant to answer, you can focus their answers on their goals and priorities. What are their long-term goals? How is their work here pushing them towards those goals, and what will they need to do next to achieve their goals?

And if they feel like they will be leaving soon, think about if it is time to start creating an exit strategy. Are there any specific reasons why they want to leave? Maybe team or culture problems with the company? See if any of their problems are ones that you can fix. And if they are just thinking of moving forward because it is time for them to go, then it's time for you to start thinking about replacements and team changes that are on the horizon.

Week # 24

List 3 things you would like to see when you come to work every day.

This is such a great open-ended question, and you'll be amazed at what each person says. Take a moment and come up with your three things too; that way you can have a two-sided conversation about ways to make things better.

Is this job fitting in well with your life as a whole?

Work-life balance is a really important thing for you to stay on top of. Obviously, you aren't trying to interfere with your employees' personal lives or happiness, but it is important to know if you are unknowingly affecting it. You may be surprised to hear people's responses, so it's important to remember just to listen and not make people feel judged for their answers.

Good follow-up questions: do you feel free to leave when your work is done? Are there things you used to do that you are now not able to? Are you happy?

Week # 25

Pick a question to ask your manager about their background or career. [for the employee to come up with!]

This week be prepared to share a bit about yourself with your team. Great leaders are ones that are authentic and more than just a supervisor -- they are also people, so this is the chance to share a bit about yourself, what makes you tick, and the accomplishments and achievements that landed you in your role.

What's the best compliment you've ever received at work? [this one's for you to ask! phew, back to normal. 😃]

This is a great question to gain a little insight into compliments that stick with someone and why they matter. Understanding the things that stand out in their mind from their background can help you do a better job motivating them in the future.

It can also help you see what sort of projects or accomplishments stand out to them. Pay attention to the conditions of the compliment and who it was that gave it to them. Sometimes praise from people high up in the organization can stand out the most -- and the best part about those compliments is that they are usually free and easy to give.

Week # 26

Tell me about the last time you felt proud of yourself to solving a problem on the job.

It helps to understand what someone thinks is worthwhile, especially if it is something that happened recently that you may not have noticed (doh!). If they give you an example from far in the past, ask them about something in the last year, or last 6 months.

Make an effort to understand what they consider pride-worthy, and ask for the details around it. It may help you do a better job assigning meaningful projects in the future.

Is the job you perform on a daily basis what you expected when you took it?

Relationships can fall apart on missed expectations. Sometimes it helps to check in and understand what expectations were and how they have changed. If a person has been in a role for a while, it can help to revisit what they thought it would be and what characteristics are different. They may be a good different, or a bad different, but you will never know until you ask.

Week # 27

In your opinion, is the staffing level in the office sufficient to keep up with the workload?

Sometimes people feel overworked, or maybe they notice that something isn't being handled well. Asking them outright can help you understand where things aren't running as smoothly as they could be.

Be sure to listen patiently, and if hiring more staff isn't in the future, try brainstorming together some other ways to solve the problem. You are on the same team, after all, and who doesn't want things to run like butter. Mmmm, butter.

And if they don't have anything to offer? Ask them if things are overstaffed then. Wasted work is just as inefficient as people being overworked.

What about the physical arrangement of the office do you like? What would you change?

Yes, it may not be in your purview to make changes. However, you won't really understand how people like to work unless you ask them. And surveying your team for their ideal working conditions is a great way to get your head around what sort of environment makes them most productive.

Talking about these things can also help surface some creative solutions for more flexible working arrangements, additional furniture (whiteboards or bean bags, for example), or even shuffling seats.

Week # 28

If you were to give yourself a rating (1-10) today, what would it be?

Get ready for a tough conversation here. Talking about performance is always a challenge, both for you and for your employee.However, it is good to be checking in on these things on a regular basis.

To start, let them tell you their rating before you do anything else.

Ask them why it wasn't lower. Ask them why it wasn't higher. What do they think they need to do to maintain that rating?

You don't need to confirm or deny the rating, per se, to make this meeting effective. However, it is good to set expectations on where you might rank them or why you don't agree with their number, if it feels necessary.

Week # 29

List 2 things that you see being done inefficiently around the office. Is it worth making them more efficient? Why or why not?

In the midst of everything that goes on every day at work, sometimes we overlook things that could be done a little more smoothly. What do your employees see at lost potential for efficiency?

This is helpful not just for brainstorming options for streamlining, but also for seeing places where your reports think there are problems (even if things are done that way for a good reason). Take the opportunity to explain why things function the way they do, if changes aren't possible.

Work together to talk through any observations and try to see if there is some low-hanging fruit you might be able to tackle together to make some improvements.

If you sat in on an interview for a prospective employee, what one question would you ask them?

Not all employees are able to sit in on interviews, but it can be fun to learn what they ask and how they would judge new recruits. It's a good exercise for people who have never done interviews too, to consider how they would do it.

Ask them about why they would ask those questions, and what they think a good and bad answer might be.

Week # 30

Do you think the salary possibilities within this company are enough to satisfy you long term?

Money is a touchy subject for most people (who doesn't want more?). However, a good leader knows what people want and can represent them accurately.

These days, great people can almost always get higher paying jobs elsewhere, so it is important to understand what they expect for raises and salary increases. If they don't think the possibilities at your company are reasonable, try to understand why and where they would expect to make more.

This is a tough conversation, and it isn't your job to judge, make commitments, or even assess their opinions. Just listen, ask questions, and try to understand where they are coming from. It will make you a much better advocate for them in the future.

Tell me about a recent situation you wish you would have handled differently.

We all make mistakes, and it's important to be able to talk about them objectively and learn from them.

Make sure they share something. Don't tell them how to fix it, though. Instead, ask them how they plan to prevent it in the future. Make suggestions, but try to do it in the form of questions. "Did you think of...." or "I know someone once fixed that by doing ______, would that help?"

Week # 31

What is something we could do as a team to improve the company?

Team activities are great ways to create bonds between teammates, and what better way do some bonding than to take on something that will make the company better?

If the employee doesn't have any ideas ready, ask them about some of the things that aren't "great" about the company. What do they think needs improvement? What could make those things better? Brainstorm problems together, and (don't skip this second step!) then come up with some solutions.

What is an example of a "little thing" that really impressed you recently? (For example, great customer service or a well-designed product.)

There are tons of examples of meaningful little things. For example, my OXO mixing bowl has a non-stick bottom for fierce mixing. Apple products are a delight to open because the packaging is designed with that moment in mind. My dentist sends appointment reminders via email and text messages.

It is these little things that can make a user experience great and it can be fun to talk through examples that we have seen. And sometimes they give you great ideas for your own products and services.

Week # 32

Do you feel the work is evenly distributed across the team? Is there anyone carrying too much? What are some ways we could even things out?

I know you are busy and this might seem minor. However, it is really important to understand how work is distributed among your employees, and the best way to do that is just to ask every person on your team.

Gauge how your people feel about the distribution of work. Is there anyone taking on an bigger burden than they should? Do they realize it? Is there anyone not doing enough? Do they realize it?

Talk through strategies to get others up to speed or how to work more collaboratively to remove any bottlenecks. It will make everyone more efficient in the long run.

Are you uncomfortable giving any of your peers constructive criticism? If so, why?

Not all teams gel together the way we wish they would. Understanding what relationships are strong and which ones are less so can help you have the right conversations to improve them.

Relationships are like filmstrips. The more someone interacts with someone else, the more authentic and trusting they can be. However, one negative interaction may require a lot more positive ones (sometimes 6-10) to counteract it.

If you can help each teammate understand how they can be a better team member, and help them get to know the people they don't know well, you would be amazed at how well you can work together as a cohesive team.

Week # 33

What are your big dreams in life? Is this job getting you closer to reaching them?

Hopefully everyone on your team will answer yes to the last question. Whatever they tell you, though, give them your absolute undivided attention. If you think you will be distracted by your phone or someone else in the office, take your meeting elsewhere.

Sharing your dreams with someone is a really hard thing to do and it makes a person feel very vulnerable. So earn that trust. Keep what they say confidential and be a good listener. And whatever you do, don't assume they won't be a good for a promotion because they want to be, say, a fisherman.

They may still really want that promotion and the fisherman dream doesn't come into play until age 60. So don't let their honesty impact your willingness to work with them.

However, do try to understand that planned path so you can help them achieve it. It isn't your job to critique their path or steer them in another direction; this conversation is about *understanding* the path they want to take so you can help them along the way.

Have any outgoing employees expressed specific issues to you? What were they?

Exit interviews rarely tell the whole story about why someone left. People want to leave on good terms, so they might not be as candid with you as they would be with their peers on a day-to-day basis.

Their peers might have also heard firsthand about some of the issues the outgoing employee was having before they left, which could shed some light on what pushed them to finally leave.

If it makes the employee feel uncomfortable to call out a specific former employee, tell them they can keep it anonymous and just talk about the issues expressed by outgoing employees in general, rather than specific people.

Week # 34

What is one thing that could be done to make you feel more 'at home' in the office?

We spend a lot of time at the office, so it matters that your people feel comfortable there. After all, we all have little things that help us be a little bit happier or more productive -- things like coffee or hot drinks, good lighting, or a comfortable space to work in.

And while you probably don't have the budget to completely redesign your team's part of the office, there are lots of small touches you can make. You can also ask the employee to help you brainstorm cost-effective ways to make the office more comfortable, so that they are part of the solution and get an insight into working with your team budget.

Who in the office do you think has knowledge that you could benefit from?

People who are ambitious and care about their jobs are always hungry to learn, so this is a great way to facilitate that. I

t's also a way to find out where people's interests lie and how they are thinking about their role, judging by which people and departments they would like to learn from. That knowledge can help you focus their future work to match their goals. Look for opportunities to make introductions, get them into meetings, or help your employee work with a specific person or department on a future project.

The more well-rounded your employee becomes, the better they will understand the business as a whole, as well as their career paths, which is a great win for your team. And it is great to be the person who helped make that new knowledge possible. 😃