How To Get Subordinate Managers To Do One-On-Ones - Part 1 (Hall of Fame Guidance)

When you become a Director, you start to get the sense of what it means to be an executive. You’re no longer getting to manage the work being done, you’re managing the managers who are managing the folks getting the work done. And one of the things that you lean is that managers are typically much more likely to assert themselves than individual contributors were where you were managing them.

The obligation you have to get the most effectiveness out of your organization can clash with the individuality of the managers you’re managing. This is particularly true for the Manager Tools manager who has gotten promoted to lead other managers who don’t manage your way.

When you tell them you’re going to require them to do One On Ones, they’ll tell you that’s not their management “style,” but that will pass once you let them know you’ll be measuring their performance. And your measurement system can be as simple as asking questions. You can also tie their managerial performance to their performance review - wouldn’t that be novel! And you can also check in Skip Level Meetings to make sure their directs - the whole point of One On Ones - are benefitting.