Management
One-On-One Meetings
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One-on-ones, also called 1–1s or 1 on 1s, are Meetings between a manager and a direct report.
Learn One-On-One Meetings with the Practica AI Coach
The Practica AI Coach helps you improve in One-On-One Meetings by using your current work challenges as opportunities to improve. The AI Coach will ask you questions, instruct you on concepts and tactics, and give you feedback as you make progress.Intro to 1:1 Meetings
One-on-one Meetings are a crucial part of building strong relationships between managers and employees. They provide an opportunity for feedback, Coaching, and Goal Setting.
Structuring One on Ones to Maximize Your Team's SuccessTomasz explains how adding structure to 1:1 Meetings can take them from being mediocre to being great. He covers the framework used by the legendary CEO coach, Bill Campbell: the manager and direct report should each compile a list of their perceived top-5 priorities before the meeting, and review those at the beginning of the meeting. After that, they can cover four standard meeting topics.
Common One-On-One Meetings Challenges
These are common challenges people face when gaining expertise in one-on-one meetings. Tackling these challenges head-on can help you learn this skill quicker.
I’m a team lead at a mid-sized tech company. During my 1-1s, I noticed that some team members are hesitant to share their concerns or challenges openly. They seem to be holding back and not fully engaging in the conversation. What actions should I take to create a safe and supportive environment during 1-1s that encourages open communication and trust?I'm a junior designer at a small tech company. I'm never really sure how to spend the time during my one-on-one meetings. My manager always asks me about my tasks, but then we run out of things to talk about. I want to make these meetings more valuable. What kind of framework should I try in our 1-1s?Work on your own challenge with the Practica AI CoachTypes of 1:1 Meetings
There are different types of one-on-one Meetings, including Performance Reviews, Career Development Meetings, and check-ins. Each type serves a specific purpose and should be approached differently.
One-on-ones are my most valuable meetings; here’s how I run themFront, which as an employee NPS of 97, structures three different types of 1:1s: standard 1:1s every week; higher-level pulse checks every month; and Career Development 1:1s every six months.
The 1–1 ZooRushabh provides an overview of different types of 1:1s: the "No Agenda Chill", the "Everything Is On Fire", the "That Team (or Person) is Terrible", the "It’s Urgent", the "Feedback Hour", the "Promote Me", and the "I Quit".
Questions for Our First 1:1Lara provides with sections and question for what to cover in your first 1:1 with a new direct report. She covers topics such as Grumpiness, Feedback & Recognition, and Goals and Support.
What to Cover in 1:1 Meetings
One-on-one Meetings should cover a range of topics, including progress on goals, feedback on performance, and personal development. It's important to create an agenda and set expectations to make the most of the time.
GitLab's Internal Manual for 1:1sGitLab's internal manual for 1:1s includes a 30 minute training video and covers 12 tips on how to conduct them. This manual also includes a training video on how to do career mapping, and steps on how transition 1:1s between managers.
My Approach to 1-on-1sMarco goes through about 20 different prompts across five categories that he uses in 1:1 Meetings. The five categories are: • How are you doing? • I've got some feedback for you. • Let's talk about what's happening around the org. • Let's talk about your career path. • Let me tell you my thoughts on the direction of the team.- The Art of the Awkward 1:1Mark provides advice on how to push through the surface layer of Status Updates and create a safe space to discuss the awkward stuff that really matters, with examples of awkward content such as "extra honest feedback" and "humble advice seeking".
One-on-ones are the foundation of equitable leadershipAmy begins by asking, if you're using 1:1s for Status Updates, why isn't your Project Management tooling covering that so that you can spend 1:1 time on other topics? Instead, she recommends covering: • Overall sentiment • Team member's topics • Growth and development • Giving Feedback • Asking for feedback • Self-care • Leaving space She also recommends asking yourself these questions as a manager: If you're a leader reading this, my challenge for you today is to mull over these questions, and seek out the answers if you don't know: • How much of my time is spent being reactive instead of proactive? • Do I have a plan for how I can help set each of my employees up for success? • If members of my team were to resign today, what would reason(s) would they cite?
Challenging 1:1s
Challenging one-on-one Meetings, such as those involving difficult conversations or underperforming employees, require a different approach. Managers should prepare, be empathetic, and focus on solutions rather than blame.
How to manage your report’s unrealistic expectationsKatie describes an experience where the 1:1s with a direct report became toxic over time. She recommends a 4-step solution to prevent this in the future: 1. Set expectations during recruitment 2. Set expectations during onboarding 3. Set boundaries and be firm about acceptable behavior 4. Teach ‘disagree and commit’.
Related Skills
- Coaching
- Meetings
- Mentorship
- Hiring Product Managers
- Managing Up
- Delegation
- Intro to Eng Management
- Reference Checks
- Performance Reviews
- Reorgs
- Structuring Engineering Teams
- Managing More Experienced People
- Intro to Managing People
- Team Building
- Employee Onboarding
- Firing
- Job Leveling
- Managing Remotely
- Career Development
- Managing Managers
- Hiring Designers