Powerful 1:1's

If you’re in a management role, 1-on-1’s are likely a standard part of your procedure. Unfortunately, due largely to their regularity, many leaders and individual contributors take 1:1’s for granted, or even look at them as a waste of time. If this sounds like you, then you’re missing out on a ton of potential value and growth opportunities.

‍Purpose

In many instances, 1-on-1’s are treated like a status check. For customer success, this  can mean reviewing upcoming renewals, going over at risk clients, creating recapture plans, and preparing for important business reviews. Of course there is value in all of these items, but if your team has a strong process created around tracking and recording customer engagement, all of this information should be available within your CRM or Customer Success platform, and you can should be able to focus in on just the items that truly require in person discussion. 

1-on-1’s also provide great opportunities to reinforce established processes, and directly influence team behavior. For example, if a manager is requiring CSM’s to fill out a particular field in your CRM, she can let the team know that this field will be reviewed during weekly 1-on1’s. This will create accountability, and allow the leader to track the success of recent changes. 

In the early stages of building a customer success team (and oftentimes in later stages as well), CSM’s will likely need to juggle and execute on ‘side-projects’ that help to establish the key processes and practices for the team. A well-planned 1-on-1 will provide an opportunity to track progress and create action plans for these projects, again adding a layer of accountability, and improving project efficiency. 

The three items discussed above, if executed properly, will have a great impact on the performance of your team. However, if managers and CSM’s prepare properly for 1-on1’s, they should only take up a small portion of the meeting. But what does it mean to prepare properly? 

‍Preparation 

One of the most critical precursors to a successful 1-on-1 (and meetings in general) is an agenda. If there is a set list of topics that will be discussed, both the manager and CSM will know exactly what items to review, and the conversation will be far more efficient and useful. In terms of account/renewal review, CSMs should be properly tracking each client engagement in a visible way, and the manager, after a quick review,  should have a finger on the pulse of any top clients. Reviewing notes from prior meetings will also give the leader a few items to quickly check, and provide guidance for the CSM’s weekly activities. These are just a few things that can be done to prepare for this meeting, but as we mentioned, they will crank up efficiency, and probably give you back quite a bit of time. Now what should you do with that time?

‍Growth

It is our belief that if a leader takes the time to understand her employee’s professional goals, and devotes resources to helping them achieve said goals, that employees will be happier and more fulfilled. With that in mind, do you take an active role in your team’s development outside of their job functions? Do you know if any of your employees feel stuck, or underappreciated? Have you helped them develop a plan to get to their next step, even if that next step means leaving your team? If so, then bravo to you. You are among a rare group of leaders that doesn’t just speak about wanting your employees to grow and develop; but rather puts time and effort into making it happen. 

If you’re not among this group, don’t worry - it’s never too late to take the first step. Add a section to your agenda regarding professional development. Ask your team to come prepared to discuss their goals, and help them to form a path to get there. At the end of the meeting, set clear action plans and a follow up date - treat your employees like they are a top-tier customer. You will find that they will be more invested in their work, and will trust your leadership that much more. 

Make your 1-on-1’s less of chore, and more of a tool for growth.