In today's workplace, one-on-one meetings are more than just a check-in; they catalyze growth. When done well, they build strong relationships, increase human flourishing, foster continuous development, and boost employee engagement. This guide will help you build one-on-one meetings into powerful tools for cultivating a flourishing, people-focused team. Here's your One-on-One Meeting agenda for sustainable leadership.
The goal of one-on-one Meetings:
Team Alignment for execution of strategy
Team-member development
Reinforce culture and vision
Before the Meeting (15 minutes of prep)
Meeting Cadence: Aim for weekly or bi-weekly 30-45 minute meetings. Always start on time and always end on time.
Build a collaborative Agenda: Ask your employee to take the lead.
"What would you like to focus on today?"
"What specific challenges or wins do you want to discuss?"
"Is there anything I can provide support with regarding your goals?"
Note: Use a shared document or task management software to see the real-time agenda. The meeting agenda should be built before the Meeting, but always allow time for topics that arise that are not included.
Your Preparation
Review the agenda along with any recent work highlights or previous meeting notes.
State your desired outcome for the Meeting.
During the Meeting (Focus: 70-80% of the time)
Build Connection:
Begin with a check-in: "How are you the person?" (This can segue into non-work topics, too, building rapport) How are you feeling about your work this week?
Respond Empathetically & Reaffirm the employee's desire to succeed in all of life.
Address the Agenda
"Tell me more about [topic from the agenda]."
"What are your thoughts on how to approach [challenge]?"
"How did you think {project/assignment} went?
Development Focus:
"How can I better support you in your role this week?"
"What could we do next time to improve the efficiency or outcome of the assignment?"
"What skills or competencies would you like to improve this month?"
Feedback Loop:
"I've been really impressed by how you handled [situation]..." (Positive reinforcement)
"Could we explore a different approach to [task] to improve efficiency?" (Constructive guidance)
Closing the Meeting (10-15% of time)
Summarize & Take Action:
"So, it sounds like our next steps are..."
"Is there anything else I should be aware of?"
"Thank you for your insights/hard work on [specific item]."
Ask the employee to add the following steps as an action item to review in your next one-on-one.
Schedule the next Meeting (Automate this when possible)
Important Notes
Create Trust: Offer a confidential and supportive space for honest conversations.
Mutual Growth: Emphasize that your development as a manager is also a significant outcome of these meetings.
Flexibility is Key: Adapt these questions and time allocations based on employee needs and meeting priorities.
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