Enhancing Leadership and Employee Engagement with 1on1 Quest Tool

1on1 Quest: A Tool for Better Employee Engagement

As organizations increasingly emphasize employee retention and the cultivation of self-driven talent, the importance of effective training and engagement strategies has surged. Recently, the significance of 1on1 meetings has come back into the spotlight as companies adopt this practice more widely. Nevertheless, various challenges in execution have arisen in the workplace. Common issues include:

- 1on1 meetings becoming limited to task organization
- Difficulties in eliciting authentic feedback from employees
- Uncertainty around providing appropriate feedback
- Concerns about acceptance of evaluations by subordinates

To address these challenges, enhancing the dialogue skills of managers is crucial. These skills include not just listening, but also grasping the emotions and thoughts of employees to foster a trusting environment where they can freely express themselves. Moreover, the ability to tailor questions and feedback to individual needs is essential. When managers improve their communication abilities, 1on1 meetings evolve into more meaningful interactions.

In response to this need, Superiieur Co., Ltd. (headquartered in Chiyoda, Tokyo, led by CEO Kaori Soga) has developed the 1on1 Quest tool, an AI chat application aimed at practicing and enhancing dialogue skills related to 1on1 meetings.

Initiating a Mock 1on1

Users can either select or create a persona to simulate a 1on1 meeting. The tool provides the following functionalities:

- Visualization of Dialogue Quality

The “1on1 Quest” leverages data from over 5,000 managerial roles, utilizing advanced AI technology to help visualize, score, and enhance 1on1 skills.

- The AI portrays employee personas, allowing users to engage in chat-based 1on1 meetings, offering a simple way to practice. Additionally, real-time suggestions and corrections are provided based on user responses, facilitating practical skills development through feedback. After each session, a comprehensive report is generated detailing overall scores and analysis of various 1on1 skills, providing concrete suggestions for areas of strength and improvement, leading to continuous skill advancement.
- Users can customize employee personas with detailed settings related to age, personality, and background, enabling tailored simulations of 1on1 meetings that align with their context, enhancing the effectiveness of actual discussions.
- The tool is also accessible via smartphones, making it convenient for users to polish their 1on1 skills during commutes or breaks.

Developing the Next Generation of Managers

With the growing need to embrace diversity within the workforce, the ability of management to adapt to these changes plays a significant role in employee retention rates within organizations. Typically, employees who share similar values with current senior managers find it easier to get promoted. Thus, for a fairer and more inclusive environment, the introduction of objective criteria for selecting managers is essential.

By visualizing people management skills of potential managers through the “1on1 Quest,” organizations can discover 'dark horse' candidates and outline their paths toward skill enhancement for promotion. Additionally, comparing the language and questioning styles of managers who maintain high team engagement with those who do not can provide insights into best practices that can be broadly adopted.

Utilizing the “1on1 Quest” can significantly enhance the dialogue skills of management, which, in turn, is expected to improve overall talent development and employee engagement within the organization. Providing opportunities for practical skill sharpening is a fundamental step toward cultivating the next generation of leaders and shaping the future of organizations.