Avoid being pressed for time
According to Business2Community, you should not be pressed for time during evaluation meetings. Reserve sufficient time, make the meeting a priority and do not look at your phone while it is in progress.
Define what you will talk about and what you want to achieve
All meetings should have a clear aim and agenda; evaluation meetings are no exception. Do not waste time on small talk; speak about specific topics so the meeting is not merely an obligation you have to carry out.
Do not regard evaluation meetings as something of lower importance
Many managers tend to regard evaluation and leadership meetings with employees as something of lower importance. Thus they often plan them for late in the day as they believe there are more important things to be done in the meantime. So, in the end, participants have neither the mood nor the energy to deal with important, strategic topics.
Remember these meetings are not about you
As a manager, you should not focus on yourself during meetings, but specifically on the employee. Put aside your ego for a while and try genuinely to listen to the person on the other side of the table.
Learn to read between the lines
The fact you as a manager are meeting subordinates face to face does not mean they will tell you everything on their mind. Remember that your different positions make your conversation unequal, and try to uncover all the things the employee is reluctant to tell you.
Focus on long-term visions and strategic topics
Regular meetings with employees are too often used to talk about everyday matters and catch up on the daily agenda. Do not talk about mundane tasks and individual projects with your employees; instead, focus on the overall context, long-term visions and strategies.
-mm-