How do you find some regular time to address your needs with your boss? One technique we use at The Ken Blanchard Companies are weekly One-on-Ones. In these meetings, direct reports schedule time with their immediate supervisor to discuss what’s going on and what they need in terms of direction and support to get their work done.

Here are a couple of guidelines for setting up your own One-on-Ones.

• Keep them short—limited to 15-30 minutes per session.
• Meet frequently—at least once every two weeks.
• Keep the agenda focused on what you want to talk about—progress reports, obstacles, concerns, or questions.
• Make them a top priority—postponed meetings need to be rescheduled immediately.

It may seem a little awkward at first, but as you settle into a routine of meeting each week with your manager to discuss items that are of concern to you, some highly desirable things will begin to occur including:

• Improved communication between your leader and you
• A chance to set new goals and reexamine previously agreed-upon goals
• Opportunities to ask for direction and support

Sometimes it helps to add a little structure into the communication process. If you’re not having the type of regular communication with your manager that you would like to, try scheduling time for a one-on-one. It’s a great way to exchange information, give progress reports, and do some problem solving on a regular basis.