1:1 Meetings

Maintaining an effective and efficient agenda is important to get the best out of the 1:1 (read as: one on one) meetings. This page covers guidance for both managers and team members to make 1:1s productive.

The 1:1 Agenda

• Use a consistent agenda format for each 1:1.
• Both parties add items to the agenda. Preferably, the majority added by the team member. If the manager puts more than half of the items on the agenda this is an indication that something is wrong.
• Populate the agenda at least 24 hours in advance of the meeting. This gives both parties mental space to think more critically about each topic.
• Create a Google Doc as the agenda and set the sharing settings exclusively between the two of you. This should not be a public document because performance feedback should be as private as possible.
• Take notes directly in the Google Doc during or after the meeting. Do not keep notes on the side. They should be visible to both participants. Notes provide context and history to the agenda, making it easy to track progress and revisit past discussions.

Conducting a 1:1

It is advisable to schedule 1:1s at least once a week. The choice of synchronous or asynchronous meetings can be made by the manager and their direct report, depending on their preferences and needs. To avoid prolonged periods without face-to-face communication, it is preferable to have a minimum of two regularly scheduled synchronous 1:1s every month, barring any PTO or leave from work.

For example, some managers schedule 1:1s on alternating weeks, with one week for synchronous meetings and the next week for asynchronous meetings. This approach allows for more dedicated focus time and aligns with our priority of emphasizing asynchronous communication .

Guidance for Managers

• The 1:1 is your direct report’s meeting, not yours. Let them drive the agenda and the conversation.
• Listen more than you talk. Your role is to support, unblock, and provide context.
• Use the 1:1 to give and receive feedback regularly, not just during performance reviews.
• Ask open-ended questions: “What is blocking you?”, “What could I do better as your manager?”, “What would you like to work on next?”
• Follow up on action items from previous 1:1s to show that you take the conversation seriously.

Guidance for Team Members

• Own the agenda. Come prepared with topics you want to discuss. This is your time.
• Use the 1:1 to raise blockers, share feedback, discuss career development, or surface concerns that do not fit in other channels.
• Be honest. The 1:1 is a safe space to share what is and is not working.
• Do not save urgent blockers for the 1:1. Raise those immediately. The 1:1 is for topics that benefit from a dedicated conversation.
• Give your manager feedback too. The relationship works best when it goes both ways.