The Boardroom by Heather Elkington

Are your 1on1 meetings with your team just status updates?
Here's how to run one-on-ones that actually work, with the questions and agenda I use.
Airbnb's CEO Brian Chesky went viral for saying one-on-ones are a waste of time. My take: if you're running a multi-billion-pound company, maybe. But if you're a manager in the middle, your one-to-one meetings are how you spot problems before someone hands their notice in, and how you stop micromanaging for the rest of the week.
In this episode:
Why managers need 1on1s
Fortnightly vs 90-day 1on1s
Let them talk 75%
Questions beyond "everything's great"
Never missing feedback on your management
Handling promotion conversations
The 90-day retention question

Because one-on-one isn't a waste of time. If you run them well, they're the most valuable 20 minutes in your diary.
Got a situation at work you don't know how to handle?
Send it in → hello@theboardroompodcast.com. Two lines or two paragraphs is fine, and everything stays anonymous.
Free 90-day one-on-one meeting agenda → https://custardlearns.com/90-day-agenda-download
Join the waitlist for The Strategic Leadership Challenge. There are only 500 spots → Click here
New episodes every Wednesday, 8 AM.
Follow us on Instagram: @the.boardroompodcast & @leadershipheather
If you’re struggling to know what’s really going on in your team, Custard gives you clear weekly insight into your team’s culture, wellbeing and performance, plus practical actions to help you know where to step in. Find out more at Custard.

Are you doing great work from home but getting overlooked for pay rises and promotions?
In this episode, Heather shares how to make working from home help your career rather than hold it back.
Proximity bias is real. A UK study of more than 900 managers found they were 11% less likely to promote people who work fully from home, and 68% of employers say being in the office significantly affects promotion chances.
What proximity bias is
The career-fatal assumption that your work speaks for itself
How she went from 85k to 120k in one pay rise
The Friday "loud list"
How posting on LinkedIn got her noticed by the CEO of Sage
How to manage up
How to use office days strategically

Got a situation at work you don't know how to handle?
Send it in → hello@theboardroompodcast.com. Two lines or two paragraphs is fine, and everything stays anonymous.
New episodes every Wednesday, 8 AM.
Follow us on Instagram: @the.boardroompodcast & @leadershipheather
Want to understand how your team really feels about work? Try Custard free → https://www.itscustard.com/?utm_source=captivate&utm_medium=EP19&utm_campaign=free_trial_promo&utm_content=ep19_wfh_showdescription
Join 32,000+ managers in the Custard Culture Club → https://custardlearns.com/custard-culture-club-home

Heather shares the 5 business rules behind the £1M she’s made since leaving her corporate job, with a team of three.
Heather reveals that one of the best emails she’s received is from an angry customer. From there, she breaks down the principles that guide every decision in her business and her leadership.
You’ll learn:
How to take accountability, even when it's not your fault
How to handle criticism without getting defensive
How to control your reaction to things you can't control
How to stay focused while running two businesses at once

Got a leadership or work dilemma? Send it to hello@theboardroompodcast.com. Everything stays anonymous.
Get Heather's weekly leadership tips every Tuesday: https://custardlearns.com/custard-culture-club-home
If you’re struggling to know what’s really going on in your team, Custard gives you clear weekly insight into your team’s culture, wellbeing and performance, plus practical actions to help you know where to step in. Find out more at Custard (tap here).
Follow us on Instagram: @the.boardroompodcast & @leadershipheather

What do you do when you have a difficult manager?
Maybe they’re inconsistent, make empty promises, message you at all hours, fill your diary with unnecessary meetings, or make you feel like you’re constantly walking on eggshells.
In this episode, Heather breaks down how to manage up and take back some control when you can’t control the person above you.
You’ll learn how to:
Give difficult feedback upwards
Set boundaries around your time and actually stick to them
Deal with managers who make everything feel urgent
Say no to meetings without looking difficult
Stop letting your manager’s moods dictate your working day
Know when you’ve tried enough and it might be time to leave

Because managing up isn’t about trying to manage your boss. It’s about taking ownership of what you can control, communicating clearly and protecting the boundaries that allow you to do your best work.
Got a situation at work you don’t know how to handle?
Send it in → hello@theboardroompodcast.com. Two lines or two paragraphs, whatever you need. Everything stays anonymous.
Free 90-day 1on1 agenda: Click here
If you’re struggling to know what’s really going on in your team, Custard gives you clear weekly insight into your team’s culture, wellbeing, and performance, plus practical actions to help you know where to step in. Find out more at Custard.
Follow us on Instagram: @the.boardroompodcast & @leadershipheather

We are back after a two week break, Heather is officially a married woman 💍 and we are finally answering some of the dilemmas you’ve emailed us at hello@theboardroompodcast.com.
From navigating friendships at work and managing someone who could have had your job, to handling a difficult peer when you have no authority over them, Heather breaks down what she would actually do in each situation.
We get into:
When friendship and leadership blur
Dealing with resentment at work
Managing someone who competed for the same job
Seeking approval from your team
Challenging a difficult peer

Got a situation at work you don’t know how to handle?
Send it in → hello@theboardroompodcast.com
New episodes every Wednesday, 8 AM.
Follow us on Instagram: @the.boardroompodcast & @leadershipheather
If you’re struggling to know what’s really going on in your team, Custard gives you clear weekly insight into your team’s culture, wellbeing, and performance, plus practical actions to help you know where to step in. Find out more at Custard.
And btw, Heather drops weekly leadership tips to over 32,000 managers every week. Join here: https://custardlearns.com/custard-culture-club-home