In between the Check-Ups

Release Date: 05/27/2021

Adventures in Businessing

While there will not be new episodes of Adventures in Businessing, we are excited to announce a brand new podcast. Here is a sneak peek with our episode zero. Leading to Fulfillment is a weekly 30 to 40 minute podcast that highlights the impact of People-First leaders and teams where fulfillment is the true measure of success.. In each episode James Laws has conversations with leaders, entrepreneurs, and other thinkers from all walks of life and kinds of businesses to find out how they think & lead differently and make decisions that lead to fulfilling work and fulfilled teams.

Parting on Good Terms

Adventures in Businessing

O Oysters,' said the Carpenter,

Navigating Tension in a Business Partnership

Adventures in Businessing

Whether you’re considering taking on a partner for your business, or you’re well into one within your organization, tension comes in many different forms, from minor, slow, and creeping to sudden, impactful, and concerning.

Why Form a Business Partnership

Adventures in Businessing

Leading, planning, and managing-- while they can and have been accomplished by solopreneurs, it certainly isn’t easy. Is the answer to find a partner in crime?

How to Get the Most out of Business Events

Adventures in Businessing

In the last episode, our hosts discussed the importance of business events, their potential for deep thought, creativity, networking, and the additional benefits they bring.

The Importance of Business Events

Adventures in Businessing

We’ve talked extensively about culture in recent episodes, but what’s next? Business travel and events, that’s what! If done correctly, with the right goals in mind, business events can be such an effective tool for camaraderie, networking, creativity, inspiration, and fun!

Planting, Protecting, and Propagating Your Culture

Adventures in Businessing

Across the last few episodes we’ve covered all things ‘Company Culture’: defining exactly what it is, and how purpose and values contribute to, guide, and otherwise influence your culture’s development.

Discovering Your Values

Adventures in Businessing

Even if you’ve not acknowledged or prepared for it, values should drive your company. Whether you’re the person who established your company or not...you likely won’t be the only one who decides upon, contributes to, influences, and nurtures the organization’s values.

Discovering Purpose

Adventures in Businessing

Discovering Purpose is a fundamental psychological need. Without it we’re so often driven into the darker aspects of life: self-destruction, callousness, or outright apathy. However, it could be argued that with purpose we’ll never reach an upward limit of human ingenuity and potential.

What is Company Culture

Adventures in Businessing

Company culture. For a thing that’s become so ubiquitous in nearly all workplaces, why is it that so many of us are unable to define it, unsure of its impact, and unaware of the things that can shape, harm, and evolve it.

More Episodes

Show Notes

[0:00:48] Episode Summary | Intro

Standing Energy
What Happens In Between F.I.T.ness Check-ups?

[0:02:10] Recap of Last Episode’s Quarterly F.I.T.ness Check-in

If you’re only having conversations every three months, or annually, something is wrong.

[0:03:46] People Want Regular Feedback

Team Members Want Clarity & Shared Understanding
- Even if they’re low maintenance, and keep their head down, working hard...they still want and need the feedback.
Why Weekly vs Less Frequently
- Generally, the more frequently you meet, the shorter your meetings will be overall.
- If you schedule weekly, and you have to miss one, you’re not losing alot, whereas if you miss a monthly, you could be letting major agenda topics slide by for too long.
Don’t Make Your 1:1s All About Task LIsts & Project Management
Stick to Your Time Frame
- Don’t be afraid to push agenda items off to the following week’s 1:1.
- It’s not the end of the world if you can’t meet for one week.
Don’t Make it so Clinical That it’s Not Meaningful

[0:11:45] On Misfit Pairings of Employee & Role

- It’s so important to have and stick to an agenda for 1:1s.
[0:13:20] Manager’s Guide to 1 on 1s
- https://ciircles.com/1on1/
- 1:1s are about establishing connection with your direct report:
- - Establishing Empathy
  - Understanding Goals
  - Laying Growth Path
  - Providing Clarity
  - ...not just about the tasks & projects.
- Invest Time and Energy in Your Team
- - It’s Worth It

[0:16:28] The Hard Truths

It’s hard, it takes time, but it’s your job as a manager and/or leader.
Do it right and you have allies in the business, do it wrong (or not at all) and you have opponents.

[0:17:58] Is There an Ideal Number of Direct Reports?

20% of your time should ideally be spent on nurturing your communication and connection with your team members.

[0:19:28] Don’t Let Your 1:1s be Manager Driven

Let Your Team Members Set the Agenda
You Will Have to Train Team Members on How the 1:1 Works
- Communicate and Enforce What the 1:1 is For, The Purpose & Goal
- - Some will take to this really quickly, for others it will take time and experience.
1:1s Are a Great Way to Practice Collaboration
Active Listening & Taking Notes is Powerful for You and the Employee’s Rapport
- Actually caring, and listening is a very good thing.

[0:26:12] Think About the Best Manager You Ever Had

Odds are that one of the things that made them the best was that they genuinely cared about and believed in you.
You May be a Diamond in the Rough
- Let’s be honest, there are those who establish routine communication and good rapport so well, so regularly, that they may not need an explicit weekly 1:1.
Be the Manager Who Remembers Your Team Members’ Children’s Names

[0:28:33] Parting Words | Recap

It can seem like alot of work, but remember...it IS the work.
https://ciircles.com/1on1/
Next Episode Topic: Communication

Show Notes

TOPICS