Things Leaders Do
Things Leaders Do is the go-to podcast for leaders who want real, actionable strategies—not just theory. Whether you're a new leader stepping into management or a seasoned executive refining your skills, host Colby Morris delivers practical tools and processes you can start using today to lead with confidence, clarity, and impact.
Each episode breaks down key leadership topics with humor, insight, and real-world application, covering:
✅ How to communicate effectively and build trust in your team
✅ The secrets to high-performance leadership and team culture
✅ Handling setbacks and leading under pressure
✅ How to be a people-first leader without losing accountability
✅ Mastering the balance between strategy, execution, and influence
No fluff. No vague concepts. Just tactical advice that helps you grow as a leader and drive real results in your business or organization.
Subscribe now and join thousands of leaders leveling up their skills. Because leadership isn’t about what you say—it’s about what you do.
🔑 Keywords: leadership, leadership development, new managers, executive coaching, team culture, business growth, personal development, management strategies, communication skills, success, accountability, productivity
Things Leaders Do
One-on-One Meetings That Work: Build Trust, Track Goals, and Transform Your Team
One-on-One Meetings That Work: Build Trust, Track Goals, and Transform Your Team
Show Notes
Episode Summary:
One-on-one meetings: a simple leadership tool with extraordinary potential. Whether you’re a seasoned executive or a first-time manager, mastering these conversations can elevate your leadership and transform your team’s performance.
In this episode of the Things Leaders Do podcast, Colby Morris breaks down the secrets to impactful one-on-ones. Learn how these intentional conversations build trust, foster alignment, and empower your team to achieve their best.
Colby shares actionable strategies, real-world examples, and even a game-changing tool called the "battery check" to help you connect with your team and create a culture of accountability and support.
What You’ll Learn in This Episode:
- The 4 Keys to Building Personal Connections: Why leadership starts with relationships and how to create a space for trust and open communication.
- What to Discuss in One-on-Ones:
- Developmental goals to encourage growth.
- Goal tracking to ensure there are no surprises in annual reviews.
- Recognition to create a culture of appreciation.
- Removing obstacles so your team can thrive.
- The Perfect Cadence:
- Why biweekly one-on-ones are the gold standard, according to the Harvard Business Review.
- How consistency builds trust and prevents small issues from escalating.
- The Trickle-Down Effect:
- Why one-on-ones must reach every level of the organization, including front-line staff.
- How this practice enhances communication, fosters collaboration, and strengthens company culture.
- Real-Life Examples: Hear stories of how effective one-on-ones solved challenges, boosted morale, and created alignment across teams.
Why This Episode is a Must-Listen:
If you’ve ever wondered whether one-on-one meetings are worth the time, this episode will leave no doubt. Colby shares practical tips and proven insights to help you take your leadership to the next level.
Resources Mentioned in This Episode:
- One-on-One Questions Guide: Want a list of impactful questions to use in your next one-on-one? Email Colby or connect on LinkedIn to request your copy!
- Harvard Business Review Article: Learn why biweekly one-on-ones are considered the best practice for effective leadership.
Connect with Colby Morris:
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/colbymorris/
- Email: Colby@NXTStepAdvisors.com
Don’t Forget to Subscribe!
If you enjoyed this episode, subscribe to the Things Leaders Do podcast and never miss a new release. Share this episode with another leader who could benefit from these insights, and join the conversation on LinkedIn!
Ratings and Reviews:
Your feedback helps the show grow! Leave a rating and review to let Colby know what you love about the podcast.
Keywords for SEO Optimization:
Leadership, one-on-one meetings, leadership tools, effective communication, team development, employee engagement, goal tracking, organizational culture, leadership podcast, Colby Morris.
Welcome to Things Leaders Do, the podcast that uncovers the secrets of becoming an extraordinary leader. If you're a leader who's constantly seeking growth, inspiration and tangible ways to level up your leadership, then you've come to the right place. Remember, the world needs exceptional leaders, and that leader is you. Now here's your host, colby Morris.
Speaker 2:Hello leaders and welcome back to the TLD Podcast. I'm your host, colby Morris. If you're new to the podcast, let me tell you why I am able to discuss the leadership topics I do. It's because I've been in the leadership trenches for a while now. I've led from literally every position you can imagine New manager, middle manager, executive. I've done it all and through it all I've learned a lot. See, my goal of the podcast is to take the things I've learned, the mistakes I've made, and help you become a better leader faster, by giving you actionable tools that you can use today to be a better leader. One big truth I learned is that leadership isn't about having all the answers. It's about building relationships, setting clear expectations, empowering your team to succeed. Today I'm diving into one of the most powerful tools in your leadership toolbox the one-on-one meeting. If you're rolling your eyes because you think it's just another meeting, stay with me. One-on-ones, when done right, are the foundation of a high-performing, connected team. This episode is going to be packed with actionable steps you can take to make your one-on-ones more purposeful, more impactful. So, whether you're brand new to leadership or you've been doing this for decades, I promise there's something here for you.
Speaker 2:Let's get into it. Let's start with the most important and often the most overlooked part of the one-on-ones building personal connections. You see, leadership at its core is about relationships. You can have the best strategies in the world. If your team doesn't trust you or doesn't feel seen by you, those strategies aren't going to get you far. Okay, how do you build that connection? It starts by showing your team that you actually care about them as people, not just as employees. This isn't about prying into their personal lives. It's about creating a space where they feel comfortable, where they feel supported.
Speaker 2:The first tool I'm going to give you is from my friend, dan Collard. He taught me an incredible tool for this the battery check. Collard, he taught me an incredible tool for this the battery check, just like checking a cell phone battery. At the start of every one-on-one, ask your team member to rate their battery level on a scale of 0 to 100% Again just like a cell phone battery. If they're at, say, 30%, that's a signal you need to lean in with empathy. Maybe they're dealing with burnout or some personal struggles, but on the other hand, if they're at 90%, that's your chance to focus on strategy and growth.
Speaker 2:The simple question does two things Well. First, it shows you care and it gives you valuable context for how to actually approach the conversation. You need to know your people. Great leaders know their team members on more than a surface level. What motivates them? What stresses them out? Do you know their long-term goals? Taking the time to learn these things builds trust and loyalty. It also helps you lead them in a way that's tailored, I guess, to their unique strengths and challenges. And one-on-ones are the perfect opportunity to reinforce psychological safety. You let your team know that this is their space to speak openly. They can share their concerns, they can challenge ideas without fear of judgment. A team member who feels safe is far more likely to contribute their best ideas and yes, their effort.
Speaker 2:All right, now that we've talked about building personal connections, let's get into more of the nuts and bolts of what you should actually discuss in the one-on-one. These are the core components that make a one-on-one effective and impactful. The first is developmental items. Ask your team members about the skills they're working on or the areas where they want to improve. Are they taking a course? Are they practicing a new skill? Maybe trying to step up in their role as a leader is to support them by providing whatever they need resources, feedback, even just encouragement. Remember, when you invest in their development, that isn't just good for them, it's good for your organization. Okay, a growing team is an engaged team.
Speaker 2:The second thing you should be asking is about the goal tracking. The second thing you should be asking is about the goal tracking. Every single one-on-one should include a check-in on their goals. Now hear me, especially the ones tied to their annual review. Okay, are they on track? Do they need to pivot, do they need to adjust? The golden rule is this the results of an annual review should never I repeat, never be a surprise. Okay, if you're tracking goals consistently, your team member knows at all times where they stand, and so that annual review should never be a gotcha moment, should never be a gotcha moment.
Speaker 2:And then the third thing they need to be asking about is their current workload and the obstacles they're dealing with. Okay, ask them what they're working on, what's going well, what they're struggling with. And here's the main leadership part. Ask how you can help remove obstacles. Okay, whether it's resources, support or literally just clearing the way. This is your chance, leader, to show you're invested in their success. And then, finally, you need to ask who on the team is doing a great job and deserves recognition, and ask them to be specific. Okay, the goal here is to create a culture where great work is noticed and celebrated in ways that are actually meaningful to your team.
Speaker 2:Okay, all right, let's talk about how often one-on-one should happen. Let's talk about the cadence. This is where a lot of leaders miss the boat. Okay, either they're not scheduling them consistently or they're only having them when there's a problem. One-on-ones aren't meant to be reactive, they're meant to be proactive. Okay, think of it as preventative maintenance. Okay, think of it as preventative maintenance.
Speaker 2:Bi-weekly one-on-ones create a rhythm of communication that helps you address small issues before they turn into the big ones. Okay, think of it like regular maintenance on your car Skimming. It might not seem like a big deal at first, but eventually it's going to break down right. And then momentum building when your team knows there's a regular time to discuss progress, to work on obstacles, talk about their goals. They come to the meeting prepared. Okay, over time, this consistency it fosters a sense of accountability, it keeps projects moving forward. And then it also builds trust through predictability. Okay, consistency builds trust when your team knows that one-on-ones are a priority for you. It shows them that their time and their growth matters. Finally, remember that cadence isn't really a one-size-fits-all approach.
Speaker 2:While bi-weekly is the best practice for most teams, you might need to adjust based on individual team members. Some may need more frequent check-ins, while others may thrive with a bit more autonomy and maybe just do it monthly. But I would not I repeat, I would not go past monthly, because it's too easy to miss a one-on-one because of a scheduling issue and for you know it, it's been two months before you've missed. Do everything you can to at least meet bi-weekly and keep your appointments. Make sure that you make it an extreme value to keep your one-on-ones.
Speaker 2:Okay, I once worked with a team where one-on-ones were basically not happening. Okay, one of the managers decided you know what I'm going to implement bi-weekly check-ins with her team of all of her direct reports. And during one of these sessions a frontline employee mentioned this issue. They had a piece of outdated equipment that was just slowing down all the productivity. Because of that conversation, the manager was able to advocate for new equipment which not only improved the team's efficiency but man, it brought the team closer. It boosted morale. I asked the employee about it at another point and he just told me you know, I just felt heard for the first time in years. That is huge. That kind of impact is what one-on-ones can achieve. They create a space where problems are solved, where you build trust and your team actually feels supported.
Speaker 2:All right, let's talk about the trickle-down effect. Here's the final piece of the puzzle. One-on-ones should not stop with you. They need to cascade through your organization, reaching every single layer, including hear me, including the frontline staff. Why is that important? Because the culture, communication, the alignment of your organization depends on it. This is going to give you improved communication.
Speaker 2:Regular one-on-ones reduce miscommunication. It ensures that important information doesn't get stuck at any particular level. Frontline staff they feel heard. Leadership stays informed about what's happening on the ground Okay. Two, it creates a synergy across teams. When every level of the organization communicates regularly, okay. Teams can help but work more effectively together. Alignment becomes easier, collaboration improves. Everyone understands how their role fits into the bigger picture. And then it creates a stronger culture. One-on-ones create a culture where communication, trust and feedback are priorities. When your frontline staff feels supported, it builds engagement, it builds loyalty and this ripple effect that impacts residents, clients, customers, the organization as a whole.
Speaker 2:If you are wondering where to start or what questions to ask during these one-on-ones, I've got you covered. Just email me. You can email me, colby, at Next Step Advisors, and that's N-X-T, not N-E-X-T, just N-X-T, colby at Next Step Advisors. Or you can connect with me on LinkedIn Okay, that link is in the show notes and just connect with you and ask for the one-on-ones. Okay, I'll send them over your way. I'd love to hear how they end up working for you. All right.
Speaker 2:One-on-ones are more than just a meeting, okay. They're an opportunity to build trust, to track progress, to foster connection. I can't wait to hear how your organization changes. If you're not doing it, you don't know what you're missing and it's going to be a game changer for you. All right, everyone, as always, I appreciate you being here. If you haven't already, make sure to subscribe to the podcast and share this episode with a leader who may need it, who you think would benefit from the one-on-ones, and again, join me on LinkedIn for the conversation. That link is in the show notes. Go out there, do your one-on-ones. Become a better leader. And you know why? Because those are the things that leaders do.
Speaker 1:Thank you for listening to Things Leaders Do. If you're looking for more tips on how to be a better leader, be sure to subscribe to the podcast and listen to next week's episode. Until next time, keep working on being a better leader by doing the things that leaders do.