The check-in: the meeting you should never cancel
The check-in: the meeting you should never cancel
As we look to our calendars at the start of each week, it can be tempting to find ways to gain a little extra time by moving those meetings we can postpone to another day. That regular check-in meeting with a colleague, partner, or direct report may not seem on the surface like a critical meeting, but in fact, it’s essential.
Internal one-on-one meetings, whether they’re scheduled weekly, monthly or quarterly, may not tackle urgent matters. But they still matter in terms of how they connect us as team members, build trust and foster healthy relationships.
My indoor cycling studio, Torq Ride, is run by a stellar Customer Experience Manager, Cheryl, who cares deeply about the customers, the condition of the equipment and facilities, as well as the success of our brand. The day-to-day operations run smoothly (for the most part), the brand is adored by customers, the team is engaged, and the business is on a stable growth trajectory.
In the early days of running Torq, Cheryl and I would connect routinely to solve issues or make decisions. She’d text or call me, as needed, for my input. I wanted to build Torq into a self-managed business, where managers are encouraged to hold high standards but don’t need a lot of rules. Decisions are made autonomously. But even though Cheryl runs the show without a lot of input from me, she still needs those check-ins.
Not so I can check up on what she’s doing, but to check in on how she’s doing.
Our weekly, regularly scheduled one-to-one touch base connects us — to catch up on what is happening in each other’s worlds beyond Torq, to tackle challenges that need discussing, and to keep her connected to the big picture and the vision for our brand.
Structure helps ensure these meetings never feel like anything other than time well spent:
Use a consistent rhythm, meet at the same time and the same place
Send the agenda in advance to keep the conversation focused.
Keep it short (30 minutes is long enough)
The next time you’re tempted to postpone your weekly check-in, think twice. It’s these routine meetings that are essential to building a self-managed business.