Ultimate Growth Hack: One-on-One Meetings

In the daily operations of a home service business, maintaining team focus and accountability can pose significant challenges. An effective strategy that has truly transformed our approach recently has been one-on-one meetings.

Now, let me level with you: We weren't always sold on the idea of one-on-ones. It felt like just another task to add to our already packed schedules.

At first, we didn't think it was that important because we've been doing L10s for a while. So, we kind of thought it was double dipping on the same thing.

But now, we see that combining L10s with KPIs, along with these weekly one-on-ones, is a really strong way to build accountability and keep everyone on track.

Implementing One-on-One Meetings

Over the past month, we've rolled out one-on-one meetings across all teams, from Brandon and me down. We worked with our directs, they worked with theirs, and in total, we're about 50 percent of the way through the organization.

Essentially, the top three layers of the organization are done, and they're now having one-on-ones with all of their direct managers. The last layer, which happens to be the largest, frontline field team members, are the last ones on the list.

It's funny, I didn't fully grasp the value of this practice before.

Initially, I thought it was sort of a distraction, but now, being a little over a month into it, I'm six weeks into my one-on-ones with everybody. The benefits have been pretty significant.

One-on-one meetings provide dedicated spaces for meaningful discussions, goal-setting, and problem-solving. They facilitate open, honest conversations that propel us towards success.

How Do We Run Our One-on-Ones?

So, our one-on-ones typically involve seven or eight questions, depending on the role. We cover what they did during the week, the big priorities, and the major projects.

We follow up from the previous week, review what was set, and outline what's to come. We discuss how to measure progress, individual scorecards, and responsibilities.

For example, AR is responsible for collecting or paying out money, while fleet management is about the number of trucks in service.

Managers rate their direct reports on a scale of 1-10, as well as themselves. Individual contributors only rate themselves. We also ask where they need help, which has been really productive.

It gives us a chance to solve roadblocks on a one-on-one basis, where people might feel more comfortable talking. Then, we discuss priorities for the following week.

The Top Three Immediate Results

1. Enhanced Tool Utilization: Through these meetings, we discovered that teams weren't fully utilizing available tools such as software and project management tools. By addressing this issue, we've streamlined workflows and optimized efficiency.
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2. Revamped Scorecards: We created new scorecards tailored to individual roles and responsibilities. These scorecards serve as benchmarks for performance and growth, driving accountability and clarity across the board.
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3. Accelerated Professional Growth: One-on-one meetings have become catalysts for professional growth. They provide opportunities for personalized feedback, goal-setting, and skill development, empowering team members to thrive in their roles.

When everyone is aligned and working towards shared goals, remarkable progress is made.

So, the plan moving forward is simple: prioritize those one-on-one sessions. Use them to connect with your team, celebrate achievements, and tackle obstacles head-on.

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