ORLANDO, FL - One-on-one meetings are getting shelved, and it’s not doing teams any favors. Leadership coach Wendy McManus says many managers are skipping these crucial check-ins—and employees are feeling it. Her upcoming workshop on March 20th, “More Than a Meeting,” will teach produce leaders how to hold effective one-on-ones that drive impact instead of just taking up time.

“I’m hearing from clients, especially newer managers, that they aren’t holding regular one-on-ones,” says McManus in a recent press release.

In a high-speed industry like produce, leaders are laser-focused on productivity and often don’t see the value in one-on-one meetings. But McManus noticed teams are struggling to communicate well and work cohesively.

“Employees feel unsupported and disengaged,” she explains.

McManus designed the “More Than a Meeting” workshop to address this disconnect. During this virtual event, McManus will break down her process for effective one-on-one meetings and help participants develop a clear action plan for improving these meetings with their direct reports.

The workshop will be fully interactive, providing participants with the opportunity to draft a meeting agenda, receive feedback from other leaders, and practice elements of the one-on-one conversation during the event. They will identify opportunities and discover changes they can implement immediately.

“Participants will walk away with an action plan, not just ideas,” says McManus.

A seasoned leadership coach, McManus has already helped many produce leaders develop more effective one-on-one meetings.

Traci Sensenig, sales manager at Four Seasons Produce, Inc, said, “We’ve always had one-on-ones, but with Wendy’s encouragement, I’ve recently empowered my team to create the agenda to focus on their needs versus me bringing the topics. The result has been increased productivity, more open communication, and a sense of accountability for the team.”

Other leaders who have worked with McManus say that increased communication is one of the biggest improvements they’ve seen after implementing her one-on-one meeting structure.

“Through leadership coaching with Connect 2 Potential and an intentional focus for our managers to have more consistent one-on-ones with their direct reports, we have found that ‘live in the moment’ communication within our teams has become much more productive,” said Conner O’Malley, President of Sales & Marketing at Superfresh Growers.

Leaders like Brenda Briggs, Vice President of Sales & Marketing at Rice Fruit Company have seen improvements in their relationships with teammates. “After working with Wendy,” Briggs said, “my approach to one-on-ones has changed entirely. I now focus on being present to the conversation so I can understand their strengths, gain their input about how to reach our goals, and provide better support and guidance to my team.”

The virtual workshop, “More Than a Meeting,” will be held on March 20th. Managers and leaders from the produce industry and beyond are invited to register at thrive.connect2potential.com/courses/1-1.

Wendy McManus will attend the upcoming Southeast Produce Council Southern Exposure conference on March 7-8. To schedule a meeting with McManus at the conference, contact her at [email protected].