Executives and Their Direct Reports
Executives greatly rely on their direct reports. According to a 12 year study by Michael E. Porter and Nitin Nohria, the time that CEOs spend with direct reports ranges from 32-67%. While these direct reports are senior managers, responsible in their own right for critical aspects of the company, they still require a lot of time. Given that these senior managers are “the glue that helps the CEO integrate the company and get the work done” this investment is often necessary.
Make the Investment Worthwhile
According to this source, face to face time is the best way for executives to make sure that they have a handle on everything. The study above corroborates this, confirming that CEOs studies spent 61% of their time in face to face conferences, as it is the best way to extend their influence. Spending one on one time with direct reports and cutting down face to face engagement would likely impact executives ability to lead well. However, executives can ensure that that their time investment is worthwhile with Priority Matrix One on One View.
Priority Matrix One on One View
The Priority Matrix one on one view can help executives get the information they need to so that the time they spend face to face with direct reports is focused on the right things:
When executives create their strategic plans in Priority Matrix, they can make ensure that the projects that their direct reports manage are in line with strategic objectives. With this done, the Priority Matrix one on one view provides executives with a filtered view of all the initiatives and action items that they share with each direct report individually.
One on One View Provides Background
Because the one on one view gives all the information around the work that two people have in common, reviewing this list is a great way for executives to understand what has been going on and what they should focus on during their time face to face with their direct report. Since face to face time is the best way to influence these managers, executives want to spend less time receiving status and getting background info and more time having important conversation and providing direction. The one on one view can take care of these updates before the meeting even occurs, saving time.
One on One View to Check-up on Follow-through
Once executives have check-ins with their direct reports, they can also use the one on one view to make sure that they time they spent had the desired effect. As managers act on the advice they received during these sessions, executives can get a quick run down of new developments. This visibility can give executives the peace of mind that they can trust and depend on their direct reports.
Conclusion
With Priority Matrix One on One view, executives can focus their attention on each one of their direct reports as needed. This way they can get the context they need to lead well, without needing to micromanage their senior managers.