INTRO

I want you to get your dream job.

Maybe you already have it, and that is amazing. But maybe you are stuck in a position and you just can’t quite figure out how to get to the next level.

Is your team’s performance is holding you back? Or are you just being overlooked when promotions come up and you just can’t quite figure out why?

As a leader, helping people get promoted was something I was passionate about. And I still value this as a content creator.

Whenever I’m putting a project together or connecting with a partner, I ask myself two questions:

• Will this help you connect with and inspire your team?

• Will this help you get promoted?

I only move forward when the answer is yes. This email has 3 things I said yes to, and each of them is extremely valuable in helping you stand out and make an impact.

The first is something I’m bringing out of the vault.

Lead With Strengths, content created for you to facilitate.

It was previously $200, but I’m letting you pay what you want because I know some of you are looking for team an easy way to help you team get better.

You get:

• Video walkthroughs explaining how to prepare and facilitate a workshop that has an impact

• Editable Canva presentations

• Complete "Leading With Strengths" Workshop

• How to get paid for doing workshops in your community

I once sold this for $200, but for the rest of this week you can pay what you want. 

Enjoy! 😉 

Now, let’s dive into the lens….

Sponsored by Candor

Don’t scroll past this free trial. 

I wish I knew about Candor my first day as a manager. It makes building culture and connecting with your team simple.

As a new manager, I didn’t know what I didn’t know. I didn’t realize things like how important it was to make recognition consistent or take time to understand what motivated each individual who reported to me.

The problem is most manager onboarding, if you got any at all, focuses on the things employers need to do to protect themselves from lawsuits. But very little energy is spent on teaching leaders how to create culture.

Candor fixes this. It is a tool kit designed to help you connect and inspire your team. When I signed up I was blown away by how simple it is to use and how much it has to offer. 

Good news: They even let you create a profile and explore for free before adding your team.

With Candor, you can:

• Bring your team together through fun, lightweight missions such as Shoutouts, Check-ins, Feedback, Polls, and 1-on-1s

• Create a sense of belonging and deepen connections among teammates

• Utilize our intuitive platform that acts as your internal HR function

• Provide a space for your team to share personal insights

"Before using Candor, it felt like we were all working in our own little bubbles. We knew the tasks, but not the humans behind them. It was hard to really know the person on the other side of the screen." —Yanni Konstantinidis, Lousso Designs

Why choose Candor?

• Make positive work vibes a regular thing

• Unlock your team's untapped potential for empathy and collaboration

• More affordable than competitors like Lattice, with prices starting at just $5/teammate/month

Make culture your competitive edge. 

LEADER’S LENS

Make Your 1-on-1s Work For You

As you grow and gain experience as a leader, you will have moments when someone pulls you aside and thanks you for the impact you’ve had on their lives. 

It’s powerful. 

Sometimes it might be because of something said on stage or in front of a group of people, but most often this will be because of something that happened during a 1-on-1 conversation. 

It happens because you made the time to sit down with someone, listen, and help support them in reaching their goals. 

These one-on-one meetings are a critical tool for managers to align, motivate, and develop their team members. Regular 1-on-1s provide dedicated facetime to connect with your direct reports, understand their challenges and aspirations, provide coaching and feedback, and ensure they feel supported. When done well, these check-ins lead to stronger relationships, better performance, and higher engagement and retention.

• Gallup data shows that employees are four times more likely to be engaged if they had received "meaningful feedback" from managers in the past week.

• 86% of highly engaged companies are having regular one-on-ones.

• 55% of employees say annual reviews don’t improve their performance

Where there's regular weekly communication, there's higher engagement. Gallup also reported that managers are responsible for 70% of the variance in employee engagement.

So whether employee engagement is high or low, you can look to managers to find out why.

Still, I find so many leaders avoid or fail to prioritize them. But I have your back.

Here are 3 Steps to making the most of your 1-on-1s.

Schedule Them Consistently

Block recurring 1-on-1s on your calendar with each team member, preferably weekly or biweekly. 30-60 minutes is usually sufficient. Treat this time as sacred and avoid canceling unless absolutely necessary. Don’t look at this time as being available if they need it.

This time is important for you to check in, listen, problem solve, provide feedback, and celebrate their successes.

If you have a conflict that can’t be avoided, reschedule this time immediately. By protecting this time, you show that you value your team's development and are committed to being a reliable leader.

🕶 There are exceptions to every rule. If you have a long standing history with someone and meet with them often, pushing a 1-on-1 out might not have an impact. But if you are still building a relationship with someone, make this with them sacred. 

Prioritize Their Agenda

While it's good to have a basic structure, let your employee drive the agenda. Always start by asking "What's on your mind?" or "What would you like to discuss?" Give them space to surface the issues most pressing to them. If their topics take the whole meeting, that's fine - you can always pull them aside and follow up later on your items.

Great leaders understand how to resist the urge to dominate the airtime. Ask open-ended questions to draw out their perspective. 

• How are you approaching this? 

• What concerns you? 

• How can I support you?

Then listen with your full attention, free from distractions. 

Coaching them to problem-solve is more empowering than jumping in as the “fixer”  because it allows them to practice critical thinking and come up with their own solutions.

Remember, the more you invest in your team's success, the more likely you are to be recognized as a leader worthy of promotion or your dream role.

Come Prepared with an Agenda

An effective 1-on-1 requires thought and planning. Creating an agenda will allow your team to be prepared for each meeting which will focus on their work, development, and wellbeing. 

Feel free to steal this roadmap:

• Progress updates on key priorities and projects

• Roadblocks they need help removing

• Feedback on recent work or behaviors

• Career development discussion

• Open forum for them to raise issues 

Send the agenda to the employee at least a few hours before the meeting so they can also prepare. But always start by asking them what they want to discuss first.

🕶 Candor has this built into their software.

Give Specific Feedback

People want to work for bosses who are invested in their long term success. When you are providing feedback, your team needs clarity around what it is exactly you are noticing and what changes they can make to improve. 

You can’t be afraid to be honest, and challenge your team. You need them to know you believe in their potential and that they have a clear path to get better. 

Here is what it might sound like to offer clear, measurable suggestions: 

“When working on client projects, make sure to communicate proactively with the team and provide regular status updates. Aim to send a brief email update at least twice a week, outlining your progress, any challenges you're facing, and the next steps you plan to take. This will help keep everyone aligned and ensure that projects stay on track"

🕶 Too many leaders hold themselves and their team back because they FEAR feedback. Don’t expect a feedback conversation to end with high fives and smiles. Sometimes people just need time to process. But by avoiding feedback you aren’t giving your team a chance to get better. 

So remember…

These are the fundamentals, and greatness comes from mastering the fundamentals.

As you consistently apply these strategies and invest in your team's growth and success, you'll not only help your direct reports reach their full potential but also showcase your own ability to lead, inspire, and drive results. 

Prioritize your 1:1 meetings and use them as an opportunity to coach, support, and develop your team. You'll distinguish yourself as a leader worthy of advancement and position yourself for the career growth you desire.

It’s a big deal.

Ready for help with you or your team’s leadership development? Use this link to schedule time for us to chat.

 The Events!

Elevate Your Leadership: Mastering the 1:1 Meeting - Virtual Workshop with Jacob Espinoza, Founder of Leader's Lens, and Kelsey Bishop, Founder of Candor. 

​Leadership is so much easier when you understand how to lead a 1-on-1 that WORKS. When done well, this time invested in your team will help instill trust, develop leadership and problem solving abilities, and ensure your team stay aligned. 

​Do you want to unlock the full potential of your team members and drive better results? 

​Join us for a transformative virtual workshop, Elevate Your Leadership: Mastering the 1:1 Meeting, hosted by Candor.

​In this workshop, you'll discover:

• ​The power of 1:1s in building strong relationships and driving performance

• ​A proven framework for structuring your 1:1s for maximum impact

• ​Techniques for fostering open communication and trust with your team

• ​Strategies for aligning team members with key priorities and goals

• ​How to use 1:1s for coaching, development, and growth

• ​Common mistakes to avoid in your 1:1s

Register Here