One-on-one meetings between a manager and an employee are a crucial component of effective leadership. These regular check-ins allow managers to provide guidance, gather feedback, and build trust. However, without proper preparation, one-on-ones can feel like a waste of time for both parties.
As a manager, it’s important to put in the work ahead of time to ensure your one-on-ones are productive. Here is a comprehensive guide on how to prepare for one-on-one meetings with your direct reports.
Set the Cadence
The first step is to establish a regular cadence for your one-on-one meetings Typical frequency is once a week or once every other week for 30-60 minutes The cadence you choose will depend on your own management style and the needs of your direct reports.
When setting the cadence be clear about the frequency upfront and stick to the schedule. Consistency is key – don’t cancel or reschedule one-on-ones unless absolutely necessary. Making them a habit will demonstrate your commitment to your employees’ development.
Pick a Private Location
One-on-ones require an environment where your employee feels comfortable speaking openly. Hold the meetings in a private office or conference room. If you share space, schedule it during off-peak hours.
Avoid locations where you can be interrupted, like your desk or a busy cafe. Noise, distractions and interruptions will derail the conversation quickly.
For remote employees, hold the meeting over video chat. Use a headset and private room to mimic an in-person experience.
Set a Loose Agenda
You’ll get more out of your one-on-ones if you have an outline to guide the conversation. As the manager, you should decide on 2-3 talking points or questions in advance. Potential agenda items include:
- Progress on current projects or tasks
- Roadblocks or challenges
- Feedback for the manager
- Goal-setting
- Career development questions
- Light personal check-in
Don’t overload the agenda or it will feel too structured. Leave room for organic conversation. Send your employee the agenda beforehand so they can come prepared to discuss those items.
Start with a Personal Check-In
One-on-ones should start with 5 minutes of personal chit-chat. This builds rapport and creates a relaxed tone. Open-ended questions about weekend plans or hobbies allow you to show interest in their life outside of work.
Avoid talking about work during this check-in. There will be plenty of time to dive into projects. Keep it casual and human-centered.
Review Action Items from Last Meeting
Next, briefly review any follow-ups or action items from your previous one-on-one. Discuss progress that’s been made and next steps.
Having this accountability as a standing item will motivate both parties to follow through on commitments. It also provides continuity between meetings.
Discuss the Agenda Topics
With pleasantries and reviews out of the way, move into the 2-3 topics you outlined on the agenda. These will form the meat of the meeting.
As the manager, your role is to actively listen and ask probing questions to understand their perspective. Don’t interrupt or monopolize the conversation. Give them room to fully express themselves before jumping in.
Follow their lead down productive tangents, while gently re-steering if things go off the rails. Your questions should draw them out so you can better understand their needs.
Share Your Own Perspective
Inevitably, your direct report will turn the tables and ask for your thoughts on a project or issue. Embrace these opportunities to share your opinions and guidance.
HBr explains that managers should “add your perspective by providing context and explaining why you think or feel a certain way about a situation.” Just be careful not to lapse into a lecture.
Aim for a two-way dialogue rather than one-directional dictation. Ask if your views make sense and allow pushback. You want your employee to feel empowered, not talked down to.
Discuss Roadblocks
A good manager proactively uncovers blockers early so they can help remove them. Ask your employee what obstacles or bottlenecks are slowing down progress or lowering morale.
Dig into why roadblocks exist and brainstorm constructive solutions together. Avoid immediately dismissing their concerns or getting defensive. Your aim is to gather insights, not issue edicts.
Provide Constructive Feedback
When giving performance feedback, stick to clear, objective facts and observable behaviors. Avoid blanket judgments or attribution to character/personality.
Feedback should edify and inspire growth, not shame or criticize. Focus on tangible areas for improvement tied to business objectives. Collaborate on strategies to help them level up.
Timing is critical – don’t sandwich negative feedback between positives. Address any issues head on so the conversation can end on an uplifting note.
Discuss Career Goals
Use a portion of each one-on-one to discuss your employee’s career ambitions and development areas. Managers serve a vital mentorship role.
Ask what skills they want to build, projects they hope to tackle, and roles they aspire to. Develop plans to provide learning opportunities that align with their goals. This helps them feel invested in.
Be forthcoming with constructive thoughts around how they can grow and advance. Offer to connect them with leaders who can impart wisdom.
Set Targets and Next Steps
Conclude each one-on-one by setting SMART goals for the employee to focus on before your next meeting. These targets should align to their current projects and responsibilities.
Discuss what support and resources they need from you or others to hit those goals successfully. Clearly outline any action items both of you agree to undertake before next check-in.
Setting tangible next steps injects accountability and gives them something to work towards. Write everything down so you both stay on the same page.
Close with Recognition or Praise
Always end one-on-ones on a positive note by highlighting an area where your employee excelled recently. Be specific with your praise and tie it back to core values or competencies.
Recognition is incredibly motivating and will send them off with extra pep in their step. Employees yearn for validation that their work matters.
Follow Up with Notes
After each one-on-one, email a summary of key discussion points, next steps, and action items to your direct report. Well-documented notes build organizational trust and continuity between meetings.
Allow them to review the summary and clarify any inaccuracies. Keeping diligent records also helps you recall previous conversations and track ongoing issues.
One-on-Ones Are Two-Way Streets
While all this preparation falls on the manager’s shoulders, employees have an equally important role. They should:
- Come ready to actively participate
- Have questions and discussion topics prepared
- Provide honest opinions and feedback
- Adhere to any between-meeting commitments
- Fully engage rather than just passively listen
One-on-ones only work when both parties uphold their responsibilities. Like any relationship, you get out what you put in.
Key Takeaways for Preparing One-on-One Meetings:
- Establish a consistent cadence and stick to the schedule
- Choose a private location with no interruptions
- Set a loose agenda that allows organic discussion
- Start with personal check-in to build rapport
- Review action items from previous meeting
- Listen intently and ask probing questions
- Tactfully share your own guidance and perspective
- Uncover and remove roadblocks
- Give constructive feedback focused on growth
- Align on development goals and next steps
- Close with specific praise and recognition
- Follow up with summary notes
- Get buy-in from your employee and make it a two-way dialogue
With the right preparation, one-on-one meetings become opportunities for managers to invest in their people, build trust, improve collaboration, and foster growth. Employees leave each interaction feeling supported, motivated, and empowered by their leader.
First 1:1 with a new team member
Lay the groundwork for a trusting relationship and worthwhile 1:1s.
- Tell me about yourself – what attracted you to this role?
- What are your aspirations – professionally and personally?
- What gives you energy, and what drains it?
- What’s your role and what do you expect from me?
- Let’s talk about our team and how we work together.
- Let’s talk about why and how we’ll do 1:1 meetings.
- Anything else you’d like to talk about today?
Bridge the gap between hierarchy levels and get more insights into your organization.
- What are you proud of?
- What ideas do you have for your team and the company?
- How do you feel about the vision and priorities of our company?
- What can your manager do better to support you in your role?
- Is anything blocking you?
Make objective setting an informed and collaborative exercise.
- Let’s quickly recap why and how we set objectives.
- How did previous objectives go?
- Let’s look at the company and team priorities.
- Let’s discuss current objectives and personal development goals.
- Let’s agree on next steps.
Help individuals reflect and identify growth areas.
- Based on the feedback you received lately, are there areas you would like to develop further?
- What next steps could you be taking towards those goals?
- What part of your job are you enjoying the most? What’s inspiring, motivating, and energizing?
- What part of your job are you enjoying the least? What is frustrating or boring you? What is the one task you would love to stop doing if it was possible?
- Where do you see yourself in 2 years?
Bring a performance review to a good conclusion and share learnings.
- How do you feel after this performance review?
- What did you think while reading my feedback and the feedback you got from your peers?
- Is there anything you need clarification about?
- Was anything surprising?
- What’s your main takeaway from this review?
- Any feedback regarding the way I communicated my feedback?
Understand and overcome performance issues.
- Are you clear on what is expected of you? Do you think those expectations are realistic?
- Do you realize how your role fits into the bigger picture/why your work is important?
- Do you receive enough feedback? If not, why do you think you don’t receive it? How could we ensure you get more feedback?
- Do you feel comfortable asking for support when needed?
- What got in the way of you having more impact? (e.g. internal processes, time management issues, lack of resources or information)
- What are action items and/or objectives we can agree on?
What is a 1:1 meeting?
A 1:1 meeting (pronounced one-on-one or one-to-one meeting) is a regular check-in between two people in an organization – typically a manager and an employee. It’s used to give feedback, keep each other in the loop, resolve issues, and help the participants grow in their roles.
The free-form, employee-focused nature that goes beyond status updates is what makes the 1:1 special. It’s often considered the most important meeting you can have because it lays the foundation for a trusting and productive work relationship.
1:1 meetings can also be held between employees and their mentors, their boss’s boss (skip-level 1:1), or wherever it makes sense. In this guide, however, we’ll focus mostly on the typical manager-employee check-in that’s part of an ongoing performance management process.
6 Tips for Productive 1:1 Meetings with Your Manager
How do you prepare for a one-on-one meeting?
During your meetings, use your body language to underscore your words and your actions. Be a good listener, embrace feedback, and default to solving problems. Use your time after your one-on-ones to consider areas where you can focus, adapt, or make improvements moving forward.
How do I prepare for a team meeting?
Here are some actions you can take to prepare: 1. Set a regular meeting time It’s a good idea to have a one-on-one with each team member approximately every one to two weeks, with each meeting lasting between 30 and 60 minutes. Some organizations have monthly one-on-one meetings, which may suit your schedule better depending on your needs.
How do you host a productive one-on-one meeting?
As a manager, part of your duty may be to hold one-on-one meetings with members of your team to check their progress and discuss issues of importance. To host a productive one-on-one meeting, it can be important to understand why they’re beneficial and how to conduct them.
What makes a good one-on-one meeting?
The author has found that although there’s no one-size-fits-all approach to one-on-ones, they are most successful when the meeting is dominated by topics of importance to the direct report rather than issues that are top of mind for the manager.
