Click in to watch my short video message from me taken on the Tongariro Crossing walk to round out a bizarre year with three key messages. The photo above is a sneak peak of our new venture in Ashley, North Canterbury…

Last July my Dad, his partner and two other family members were seriously injured in a dramatic accident. Being the only Auckland-based son meant my role was going to involve lots of driving to and from the hospital, being on call for visitors and making time to be at Dad’s bedside. It meant I very quickly had to sort out what my key priorities were in the short-term. What did I absolutely need to do, what could I delegate and what could I ignore or deflect for now? When the accident occurred it suddenly brought into focus a very famous matrix when Urgency and Importance get sorted out quite easily.

When a 1 on 1 with a direct report comes around, remember: the most important task in your calendar is to be present, right now! You have both put aside the time to be here and meet. It isn’t urgent, but it is critically important. Use the time you have put aside for the intended purpose. Shut the laptop, turn your phone off, and move these devices aside.

As managers, you are responsible and accountable for the performance, growth, and on-the-job wellbeing of your direct reports. The 1-on-1 meeting is the simplest and most effective way to invest time in your direct reports. This investment will pay dividends in almost every area of your business.

Being able to prioritise is an effective skill of anyone with direct reports to manage. As they say in airplane safety videos, attach your own mask before you attach masks to your children. Managers need a way to prioritise what they do each day for themselves, before they can support the team around them.

Managers are busy. They juggle client calls, interviews for promotions or new staff, people interruptions, multiple daily meetings on everything from strategic planning to product and service development... and then emails. Emails, emails, and more emails.