Managers, the fastest engagement lever is strengths‑focused 1:1s

A mid‑size operations team showed classic disengagement: late projects, low initiative, and a steady trickle of resignations. The manager tried pep talks and tighter processes. Nothing stuck. She switched to a simple cadence: ten‑minute weekly 1:1s, opened with “best moment,” and one task per person aligned to the verbs she heard. The hallway smelled faintly of dry‑erase markers as she jotted those verbs in a small notebook. In six weeks, on‑time delivery rose, and turnover slowed.

One micro‑anecdote: a rep who dreaded dashboards lit up talking about a time he helped an upset customer feel heard. His verbs were "de‑escalates fast" and "reframes clearly." The manager reassigned him the escalation queue for a trial, defined success as resolution time and satisfaction score, and let him choose scripts. He hit the marks and asked for more.

I might be wrong, but most managers underestimate how quickly strengths‑aligned work changes behavior. It’s not magic, it’s matching. When people start 1:1s by recalling their best moment, they re‑experience competence and are readier to take on tough tasks. When you remove a blocker within 48 hours, they believe you, and effort follows belief.

This approach leans on autonomy, competence, and relatedness—the core needs that drive motivation. It also reduces micromanagement by moving attention to outcomes. Over time, the team language shifts from job titles to strengths labels, and work fits people better. Engagement rises because the daily experience improves, not because the posters change.

In each weekly ten‑minute 1:1, open by asking for the person’s best moment since you last met and write down two verbs you hear. Align one task this week to those verbs and define success with one or two outcome metrics while giving full autonomy on the method, then end by asking for one blocker you can remove before next Tuesday and follow through within forty‑eight hours. Keep notes so you can spot patterns and keep assignments strengths‑aligned. Try this cadence with three people next week.