One-on-one meetings are the single most important recurring investment a manager makes in their team. When done well, they build trust, surface problems early, and accelerate development. When done poorly, they become a 30-minute status update that both parties secretly wish they could skip.
The difference between a good 1:1 and a wasted one almost always comes down to structure. Not a rigid script, but a lightweight template that ensures the right topics get covered every time.
Here is the template that works.
Part 1: Their Agenda (10-15 minutes)
The first half of every 1:1 belongs to your direct report. This is their time, not yours. Let them set the topics.
Start with a simple question: "What is on your mind this week?" Then listen. Resist the urge to jump in with solutions immediately. Your job in this section is to understand what they are dealing with, what is blocking them, and what they need from you.
Common topics that come up in this section:
- A project that is stuck or unclear
- A relationship that is causing friction
- A decision they need help thinking through
- Something personal affecting their work
If your direct report consistently shows up with nothing to discuss, that is a red flag. It usually means they do not see the 1:1 as valuable (which means you need to adjust your approach) or they do not feel safe raising issues (which means you have a trust problem to address).
One practical tip: ask your direct report to add agenda items to a shared doc before the meeting. Even a few bullet points make the conversation more productive and signal that you take their time seriously.
Part 2: Your Agenda (5-10 minutes)
After their topics, transition to yours. This is where you share context they need, give feedback, and align on priorities.
Things that belong in your agenda:
- Feedback on recent work. Be specific. "The way you handled the client escalation on Tuesday was excellent because you de-escalated the situation before pulling in leadership" is ten times more useful than "great job this week."
- Context from leadership. Share relevant information about company direction, team changes, or strategic priorities. People do better work when they understand the bigger picture.
- Priority alignment. If you sense their priorities are drifting, use this time to recalibrate. "I want to make sure we are aligned. Of everything on your plate, what do you see as the top two priorities this week?"
Keep this section shorter than theirs. If your agenda consistently dominates the meeting, you have turned the 1:1 into a top-down status check.
Part 3: Development (5 minutes)
End every 1:1 with at least a few minutes on growth. This does not need to be a big career conversation every week. It can be as simple as:
- "How are you feeling about your progress on [skill they are developing]?"
- "Is there anything you want to learn or get better at that we have not talked about?"
- "I noticed you handled [specific situation] differently this time. What changed?"
The point is to signal, consistently, that you care about their development and not just their output. Over time, these small conversations compound into a strong coaching relationship.
How to Keep It Consistent
The biggest challenge with 1:1s is not the template. It is consistency. Meetings get rescheduled, agendas get forgotten, and follow-ups slip through the cracks.
A few habits that help:
- Never cancel a 1:1. Reschedule if you must, but canceling sends a clear message that their time is not a priority.
- Keep a running document. Use a shared doc or a tool like Culture Wheel to track agenda items, notes, and action items across meetings. This creates continuity and saves you from starting every meeting from scratch.
- Follow up on commitments. If you promised to look into something or escalate an issue, do it. Nothing erodes trust faster than a manager who forgets what they said they would do.
The Bottom Line
A good 1:1 template is not about filling time. It is about making sure three things happen every week: your direct report feels heard, you stay aligned on priorities, and development stays on the radar. That is it. Keep the structure simple, stay consistent, and the results will follow.