15-Minute Management Tips

It happens every year, just before performance review time. A manager looks at an employee’s goals for the last year and realizes nothing’s been done. Sure, the employee has done a good job, but the stretch goals that move the individual and the organization forward are languishing, left behind in the hustle of everyday business.

But what if you and your team members revisited your goals and objectives once a week instead of once a year? That would great, you think, but who’s got time for that?

You and your team do. Here’s how to keep those goals moving in only 15 minutes a week.

Step 1: Set clear goals and objectives. SMART goals are Specific, Measurable, Actionable, Realistic and Time-bound objectives broken down by task. SMART goals lay the foundation for building personal and business success.

Step 2: Set a regular meeting time each week and stick to it. Make sure the time and place work for both you and the employee, even if you meet by phone or videochat, and guard that time on your calendar. If the meetings become optional, the goals will be, too.

Step 3: Prepare. Both you and the team member should have agendas for your part of the meeting. What progress has been made in the last week? What SMART goals are on tap for next week? What’s changed? Without an agenda, you could easily end up chatting about the Packers and the 15 minutes will be over.

Step 4:  Meet and complete. The team member runs the meeting, spending 7 to 10 minutes giving an update and setting the table for the next week. Spend the last 5 minutes on Q&A. Starting and ending on time shows respect and prevents meeting creep.

These weekly 15 minutes of “face time” also increase efficiency by cutting down on easily missed emails or easily forgotten drive-by conversations. And perhaps most important, such regular, focused contact builds communication and trust between team members and their leaders.

So check your calendar and find 15 minutes a week to invest in the goals of each direct report. Then watch your organization achieve a greater success!