How to conduct one-on-ones meetings: set agendas, discuss career goals, feedback, and bond over non-work topics. Customize timing and focus.
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One of the best ways to make the most of your one-on-one meeting is to set the agenda and share it with your manager in advance. This allows you both to prepare for the meeting and prioritize the most important discussion topics.
Rather than walking into the meeting blind, take 10-15 minutes beforehand to draft up the key things you want to cover. Make sure to include any topics your manager asked you to be ready to discuss. Send this agenda over via email so you're both aligned on how the time will be spent.
With a plan in place, you can dive right into the meat of the conversation instead of trying to decide what to talk about. Limiting the small talk and getting straight to business helps maximize your limited face-to-face time with your manager.
Prioritizing the agenda also prevents important topics from falling by the wayside if you run out of time. You'll be able to table less critical items for next time, rather than missing key things altogether.
Overall, sharing the agenda upfront leads to more productive, focused one-on-one meetings. You'll stay on track, cover all necessary ground, and make the most of your time together.
The weekly one-on-one meeting presents a valuable opportunity to have more meaningful discussions with your manager. Use the time for deeper, strategic conversations rather than just giving status updates or listing tasks and progress.
Some ways to go beyond surface-level status updates:
The one-on-one meeting is the ideal chance to step back from day-to-day minutiae and have richer career and development focused conversations. Preparation is key - reflect on your big picture goals and specific roadblocks, and craft an agenda that maximizes your time with your manager.
Career growth is an important topic that deserves time and attention during your one-on-one meetings. Make time to talk about your aspirations and professional development needs.
Come prepared to discuss where you want to go in your career. Talk about the types of projects, skills, and experiences that will help you get to the next level. Share any training or education that could help you achieve your goals.
Ask your manager for advice on possible paths forward. Get their perspective on strengths to leverage and areas to develop. Discuss opportunities within the team or company that can provide growth experiences.
Make sure to set action items around development areas. For example, sign up for a relevant conference, schedule job shadowing with a colleague, take an online course, or get connected to a mentor.
Career conversations ensure your manager understands your motivations and can support your advancement. Dedicate a portion of each one-on-one to check in on progress towards your goals. Working together on a career plan makes you both invested in your success.
The one-on-one meeting is a prime opportunity to exchange constructive feedback in both directions between you and your manager. Make it a priority to provide and receive feedback focused on goals and improvements.
For you to provide feedback to your manager, think ahead about any concerns with their management style, communication, etc. Have specific examples ready to discuss objectively, without blame or accusation. Suggest solutions or changes that could improve your working relationship. Invite their perspectives and remain open to compromise.
When receiving feedback from your manager, listen carefully and don't get defensive. Ask clarifying questions if needed. Discuss how you can implement their suggestions and improve in those areas. Develop an action plan with specific steps. Offer your thoughts but avoid excuses.
The key is to make feedback a continuous, comfortable exchange rather than an anxiety-inducing annual review event. Regularly discussing feedback enables you both to course correct and strengthen your partnership. It helps align mutual expectations and improve performance.
With a culture of openness, you can leverage your one-on-one as a safe space to give and receive feedback frequently. The more you practice having candid, caring conversations, the easier it becomes. View feedback as an opportunity for growth rather than criticism. Make giving and receiving feedback a consistent priority.
My manager and I have gotten really good at keeping each other updated throughout the week. We found that a weekly one-hour check-in was too long, so we cut it to 30 minutes.
The 30 minutes we get back in our days to do work or go to other meetings is a better use of the time, so we made the switch. Remember that this one-on-one time is yours, and if you think you need more or less of it, bring that up with your boss. Everyone is different so there’s no need to have the same structure as the rest of your team.
Assess if the current cadence and length of your one-on-one meeting is optimal or should be adjusted based on your needs. Don't be afraid to suggest changes to make the meeting more effective. The goal is to maximize the value of this time together.
Bonding personally with your manager outside of work topics can strengthen your relationship and build trust. Use some of the one-on-one time to share life updates, like if you're moving, have travel plans coming up, or just want to chat about your weekend.
Showing your authentic self to your boss helps humanize you both and develops openness. This is especially important if you've recently started reporting to your manager or work remotely without much face-time. Take advantage of the one-on-one meeting to connect on a personal level.
Remember that your manager is a person too with a life outside of work. Finding common interests or relating on a human level can really help communication, break down barriers, and develop a stronger interpersonal bond. Don't be afraid to talk about non-work topics to get to know your boss better as a person.
Your one-on-one meeting time with your manager is meant for you, not your manager. While you should collaborate on the agenda, ultimately this time is for you to use productively in ways that will benefit you most.
Take ownership of the meeting by steering conversations, bringing up topics important to you, and deciding if you need more or less time each week. Don't default to the same routine as everyone else on your team if that's not working for you. Your needs are likely different.
Make sure you leave each meeting feeling like it was a valuable use of your time. If the current structure isn't working, suggest changes to your manager. For example, some effective adjustments could be:
Don't be afraid to speak up, since this time is meant for you. The worst outcome is your manager says no to a suggestion. More likely, they'll be receptive to tailoring and improving your one-on-one experience. Make sure you are getting what you need out of each meeting.
Make notes ahead of time on key items you want to cover so you remember everything. Having talking points prepared will help you stay focused and make the most of your limited one-on-one time.
Think through any issues you want to bring up and jot down the key details. This could include project updates, questions you have, feedback for your manager, or career development topics to discuss.
You don't need fully fleshed out scripts, just quick bullet points to guide the conversation. This helps ensure you remember to cover your most important topics instead of blanking when the meeting starts.
Prioritize your talking points so you're sure to hit the most critical ones if time runs short. Have your top 3-5 items that need to be discussed ready to go.
Review your notes right before the meeting when the topics are fresh in your mind. This also gives you a chance to adjust your talking points based on any recent developments.
Having your thoughts organized ahead of time leads to smoother, more focused one-on-one conversations. You can use the limited time you have with your manager more effectively instead of trying to remember key items on the spot.
Taking notes during your one-on-one meeting can help you stay focused and retain key information. After the meeting concludes, organize your notes while the discussion is still fresh in your mind.
Review any action items that were agreed upon and document the owner and deadline for each one. For example:
Also document any feedback - positive or constructive - that was provided. Feedback can easily be forgotten, so writing it down ensures you can refer back to it later. For example:
Finally, note down your key takeaways from the discussion to help achieve your goals coming out of the meeting. For example:
Having clearly documented notes makes it easier to follow up on action items, develop on feedback, and pursue your goals after your one-on-one. You can leverage tools such as Glyph AI to automate note-taking and meeting transcriptions.
One of the most important parts of a one-on-one meeting is following up on any action items that were discussed. Without proper follow through, the meeting loses its purpose.
Be sure to take diligent notes during the meeting, writing down any promises made or next steps agreed upon. These notes will help you circle back on key commitments and drive progress and accountability.
After the meeting, promptly send a recap to your manager outlining the action items and owners. Check in with the appropriate people if you are not the owner of a particular task.
During the next one-on-one, revisit the actions from the previous meeting. Provide updates on what has been completed, and course correct if anything is behind schedule. Loop your manager in on any roadblocks you are hitting.
Following up consistently demonstrates reliability, organization, and dedication. It shows you take your commitments seriously and can be trusted with responsibilities. Over time, this level of follow through will lead to more opportunities and growth.
Read : Meeting Action Items: How to Write Them (+ Best Practices)
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