Invite a conversation

The transition from individual contributor or team member without line management responsibilities is not easy.

Managing a team – while it sounds exciting and marks the beginning of the journey to bigger things – may not be as fun as it sounds.

One of the problems many new (and several long-term) middle managers face is communication with their direct reports. We’re not talking about team meetings, project discussions, or get-togethers. That’s the ‘easy’ part.

1-on-1 conversations

The real choker is having one-on-one conversations with the individuals in the team – one by one. These sessions may not exactly be pleasant, as the manager may need to deal with tough questions about salaries, growth, development, job grades, relationships and workplace issues – just to list a few.

In many companies, performance reviews are held once or twice yearly. During those meetings, managers – especially those who aren’t too fond of heart-to-hearts with their subordinates – can grab the opportunity to focus on the targets listed. However, our recommendation is to not wait for six months or a whole year before having a conversation with a teammate.

Conversation tips

There are no hard and fast rules to these one-on-one meetings, but here are some tips to consider:

1) Frequency: Once a month is just nice, even if instant messaging tools enable frequent chats with teammates.

2) Timing: Not too long or not too short. About 45 minutes to an hour should do just fine because it’ll allow manager and employee to discuss the most important concerns, but also without being rushed.

3) Focus: Keep the phone away (unless the phone is the platform for the meeting, eg. a phone call). If you’re using an online meeting platform, then turn off distractions like email, Whatsapp on the Web, and other notifications-heavy apps. In today’s setting where working-from-home is the modus operandi, having the camera on makes for a better experience.

4) Agenda: The meeting can be with an agenda, or without one. Some managers prefer meetings without an agenda as it paves the way for a free flowing conversation. Subordinates can share what’s on their minds. It might be best to communicate this fact days before the meeting.

5) Fear not: Have the tough conversations that addresses your colleagues’ concerns. Don’t avoid them. In fact, it would be good to ask them how they’re feeling, or what they’re happy or unhappy about. List them down and act on them. That way, your team that you’re on their side, and that you’re fighting battles for them. Not everything will get resolved in an instance or within days or weeks (or sometimes not at all), but at the least, your team knows that their manager is listening.

6) Speak openly: Yes, you’re now on the side of management, but that doesn’t mean you need to put up a façade of stoicism. Practice transparency where possible and share knowledge and information with colleagues to build trust. Insperity recommends 9 rules to keep in mind when having difficult conversations with employees.

Create opportunities for conversations

If managers don’t create opportunities or an environment for conversation, then they – and not their subordinates – are to blame if the latter leaves without saying much. This can easily be avoided by first enabling two-way communication where employees know they have the ability to speak openly with their managers.