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Part 2 – The People List: Six Questions for Managing One Person at a Time

This is the second in a three-part series on one-on-ones and situational leadership. In the first post, we explained why one-on-ones are where situational leadership happens: they are the place to customize your management approach for each person. Now let’s look at one of the simplest and most powerful tools for doing that: the people list.

Most managers keep a schedule. Most managers keep a to-do list. But if people are your number-one asset, you also need a people list.

The people list is simple. At the top of the page, write six questions:

  • Who?
  • Why?
  • What?
  • How?
  • Where?
  • When?

Those six questions give you a practical way to prepare for better one-on-ones with every person you manage. They help you stop managing by habit and start managing with intention, one person at a time.

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Two women meeting in an officeWho is this person at work?

Start with the most basic question: Who is this person at work?

That does not mean, “What is this person like as a human being?” It means: what role does this person play? What tasks, responsibilities, and projects are on this person’s plate right now? What are their most important priorities?

Then look at the four dimensions of performance.

Attitude. Attitude is not what someone feels on the inside. It is what they deliver on the outside: word choice, tone, volume, gestures, expressions, and behavior toward others.

Productivity. How much work does this person get done? How quickly do they produce? Are they fast, slow, consistent, inconsistent?

Quality. How accurate is the work? How much rework is required? Do they meet the standard? Do they dot the i’s and cross the t’s?

Self-management. Does this person show up prepared? Are they timely? Organized? Can they take notes, use checklists, follow instructions, plan their day, and take feedback?

If you cannot answer the “who” question, that is a sign you need to pay closer attention in your one-on-ones. You cannot customize your management approach if you do not know who you are managing.

Why are you talking with this person?

Every one-on-one should have a purpose. Why does this person need your management attention right now? Why do you need to talk with them? What is your goal with this person at this point in time? Maybe you need this person to speed up. Maybe you need them to slow down and improve quality. Maybe you need them to communicate more professionally. Maybe you need them to take more ownership. Maybe they are already a high performer, and your goal is to help them remove obstacles, stay engaged, and keep growing.

The “why” should be specific.

Not: “We have a one-on-one because it is on the calendar.” Instead: “I am helping this person improve first-time quality.” Or: “I am helping this person build stronger self-management habits.” Or: “I am making sure this high performer has the resources they need to keep doing great work.”

If you do not know the why, the conversation will drift.

What is your message?

Once you know why you are talking, ask yourself: what is my message? What does this person need to hear from you right now? What expectations need to be clarified? What feedback needs to be delivered? What questions should you be asking?

  • Sometimes your message is an instruction: “Here is what I need you to do, and here is how I need you to do it.”
  • Sometimes your message is a question: “What is your plan? What steps are you going to follow? What might get in your way?”
  • Sometimes your message is recognition: “Here is what you are doing well. Here is where I want you to keep raising the bar.”

The point is to avoid generic conversation. Every person should have a current management message from you, based on their work, their performance, and what they need from you right now.

How should you talk with this person?

Different people need different kinds of conversations. Some people respond well to questions. Some people need clear instructions. Some need encouragement. Some need to walk you through their plan. Some need help making the plan in the first place.

That is the “how” question.

One of the most powerful management phrases is: “Show me.”

Show me your plan. Show me your to-do list. Show me your schedule. Show me the steps you are going to follow. Show me what you have done so far.

But remember: not everyone responds to the same approach. Some people can answer questions all day and still miss the point. Some people need direct instruction. Some need a written checklist. Some need more back-and-forth. Some need more observation.

Where should the conversation happen?

The “where” question is about the setting and medium. Are you meeting in person? On the phone? On video? Through a messaging platform? Are you both able to look at the same documents? Can the person take notes? Can you take notes? Can they show you the work?

Remote one-on-ones can work very well, but they require more discipline. Send a punch list or agenda before the conversation. Make sure both people know what will be discussed. Use notes. Document next steps.

In-person conversations have their own advantages. Sometimes you need to see the work, observe the environment, or coach someone in real time. The key is to be intentional. The place and format of the conversation should support the purpose of the conversation.

When should you talk, and how often?

Not everyone needs the same meeting rhythm. Some people need a short conversation every day. Some need two brief conversations a week. Some need a deeper weekly meeting. Some may need less frequent check-ins, provided those conversations remain structured and substantive. The right cadence depends on the person, the work, the stakes, and current performance.

Here is one useful test: interruption.

If you are still interrupting someone all the time, or they are constantly interrupting you, then your one-on-ones are probably not frequent or well-structured enough. Often, the solution is not longer meetings. It is shorter conversations, more often.

More frequent, focused conversations keep people aligned. They reduce surprises. They make it easier to course-correct early, before small issues become larger problems.

Start your first people list

Here is the exercise.

Make a list of every person you manage. Then, for each person, answer the six questions:

  • Who is this person at work?
  • Why do I need to talk with this person?
  • What is my message, or what questions should I be asking?
  • How should I talk with this person?
  • Where should the conversation happen?
  • When should we talk, and how often?

Do not try to fix everything all at once. Pick one thing each person needs to get better at right now. Pick one message. Pick one next conversation. Start there.

Some managers use the people list once a week. Some use it every day. Some write it out formally. Some run through the six questions in their head before a one-on-one.

The more disciplined you are about using it, the more useful it becomes.

If your schedule tells you where your time is going, and your to-do list tells you what work needs to get done, then your people list tells you how to manage your most important asset: your people. Everybody is different. Everybody is a special case.

That is why you have to take it one person at a time.

Next in the series: How to customize one-on-ones for high performers and low performers.