In the corporate world, a 1:1 meeting is defined as a scheduled and recurring meeting between a manager and their directs to delve into what is top of mind for them. Topics range from the direct’s well-being to challenges to alignment to careers. 1:1s are the opportunity to truly see your people and understand their needs, hopes, and goals. It is a meeting orchestrated and facilitated by the manager, but it is not for them, it is for the direct. This practice is associated with a host of critically important positive outcomes, to be discussed, for the direct and the manager when done well.

This session is about sharing key evidence-based insights about 1:1 meetings and how they may be leveraged by a community of pharmacists and future pharmacists. Adapted for the pharmacists' context, the term <i>mentor</i> can be used instead of <i>manager</i> to cover the following groups: managers, pharmacists, supervisors, chairs, directors, preceptors. Similarly, the term <i>mentee</i> can be used instead of <i>direct report</i> to cover the following groups: residents, learners, mentees, team members, and direct reports.

As a mentor, 1:1 meetings with your mentees are essential to their success and thriving, and they serve to elevate your own success and well-being. The best mentors recognize that 1:1s are not an add-on to their role—conducting 1:1s proficiently IS foundational to being a mentor.

Equally critical, the most successful mentees recognize that they have the ability to shape the 1:1 to ensure their work and personal needs are met. When a mentor and mentee fully embrace this, the potential for 1:1s to transform people and teams can be realized. Successful 1:1s positively affect day-to-day activities through discussion of productivity blockers, coordination, and alignment. And they are also so much more. Namely, these meetings fundamentally influence a mentee's experience at work, including how they engage and attach to their role, perceive the effectiveness of their mentor, and envision their future at the organization. 1:1s also promote mentor success. Specifically, effective 1:1s result in more focused, engaged, aligned, and successful mentees. A mentor’s success/performance hinges on the achievements of those they lead.

Yet, the research clearly shows that 1) the effectiveness of these meetings is far from optimal; 2) when mentors self-rate their skills in conducting these meetings, it is inflated and does not align with their mentees' ratings; and 3) that mentees can, but often fail to, play a key role in assuring success. Hence, an incredible opportunity exists to fill the skills gap. Meaningful guidance on how to conduct 1:1s effectively is quite sparse. The goal of this session is to encourage you to start 1:1s as an essential workplace practice. It highlights what mentors and mentees can do to ensure success in these critical meetings.