What your team really think when you cancel their one on one..
Have you ever found yourself on the receiving end of constant rescheduled or cancelled one on one’s with your manager? Or are you the manager who is rescheduling or cancelling?
We all know how frustrating it can be when you have been preparing for your one on one and it gets cancelled at the last minute. There goes the approvals you were seeking, the support you were looking for and who knows if it will actually even be rescheduled.
Perhaps you start to find yourself contemplating whether they are just busy, have they mismanaged their calendar or are you just not a priority?
It’s not uncommon for leaders who are juggling multiple responsibilities to need to move things around from time to time. No one is expecting leaders to be perfect; we get that things will come up, priorities will change however it’s how it’s communicated that matters.
At the time sure it might seem like a minor inconvenience however the knock on effect on team morale and performance can be significant.
Your team will feel undervalued. Feeling undervalued or not a priority leads to a decline in team morale affecting overall team engagement. Your one on one meetings are an opportunity for your team to discuss challenges, seek guidance and align on goals, removing these makes them feel less supported leading to lower levels of job satisfaction.
Your team loses their communication channel. One on one meetings are usually their communication channel with their leader, especially if they are busy and have a large team. When this is cancelled or rescheduled it disrupts flow, it can delay approvals and potentially cause misunderstandings that could be avoided.
Your team performance is impacted. Overall productivity takes a hit as problem solving and decision making is hindered as you reschedule to another day. Leaders becoming bottlenecks increase as insights and approvals aren’t readily available, delaying deliverables and creating a ripple effect on teams performance.
It’s often the most simple actions that we can take that can have the biggest impact, yet we don’t implement them. Start by committing to the following actions:
Make your one on one meetings a non-negotiable. Be consistent. Consistency will build trust and demonstrate your commitment to your team. Setting a regular schedule and sticking to it creates a culture of reliability. Seems simple but often the most overlooked.
Communicate effectively. If rescheduling is unavoidable, don’t avoid the conversation, be transparent and communicate openly. Provide the reason behind the change. Being proactive in your communication can alleviate potential negative perceptions.
Reschedule when you say you will. Provide as much notice as possible, offer alternative times to accommodate your team’s schedule. Respect their time and make sure to get their input. Actually reschedule the meeting, too often they get cancelled altogether.
Leverage technology for flexibility. Move to virtual one-on-ones if it was meant to be face to face and is no longer possible. Alternatively look at other communication tools that can allow your team members to provide updates and receive feedback in their own time so they can still move forward in between the reschedule.
Prioritising consistency, maintaining effective communication and utilising thoughtful strategies can help you navigate through busy seasons without compromising your team dynamics and productivity.
