One-on-one meeting template
A good one-on-one belongs to your report: their topics first, then priorities and blockers, feedback both ways, and clear next steps. Copy the agenda below into a shared doc, meet every week or two, and protect the time.
Lauren is a real coach. You're texting an AI trained on her coaching.
The template
Keep one running doc per person, newest meeting at the top, so you can both scroll back through what you've agreed.
One-on-one: [Name] and [Manager], [date]
1. How are things going? (5 minutes)
2. Your topics (10 to 15 minutes): [added by your report before the meeting]
3. Priorities and blockers (5 minutes): What matters most this week? Is anything in the way?
4. Feedback, both directions (5 minutes): One thing that's working. One thing to adjust.
5. Growth (once a month): Progress on [development goal]. What would help?
6. Next steps: [Who] will [do what] by [when].
How to run it
Let them own the agenda
Ask your report to add topics before each meeting. Your items go after theirs. If they show up with nothing, start with "What's on your mind this week?"
Keep status updates out of it
Project status belongs in a written update or a team meeting. One-on-ones are for the things that don't fit there: blockers, feedback, growth and how they're doing.
Don't cancel
Moving a one-on-one is fine. Cancelling it tells someone they're the first thing to go when you're busy. If you must, reschedule the same week.
Talk less than they do
Aim for them to do most of the talking. Your job is mostly questions and listening.
End with next steps
Write down who will do what by when, and open the next meeting by checking on them. That's what makes the meeting add up over months.
How often, and for how long
Good defaults. Adjust to the person and the work.
| Situation | How often | How long |
|---|---|---|
| New hire, first 90 days | Weekly | 30 minutes |
| Most direct reports | Weekly or every two weeks | 30 minutes |
| Senior, independent reports | Every two weeks | 30 to 45 minutes |
| Someone struggling or in a big change | Weekly | 30 minutes, plus quick check-ins |
| Skip-level conversations | Monthly or quarterly | 30 minutes |
Mistakes that waste the time
- Turning it into a status meeting. If you could have read it in a message, it didn't need the meeting.
- Only meeting when something's wrong. Then every calendar invite feels like bad news.
- Skipping notes. Without them, the same topics come back every month with nothing changed.
- Never asking for feedback on yourself. "What's one thing I could do differently?" asked regularly gets real answers eventually.
- Saving everything for the annual review. Nothing in a review should be news; one-on-ones are where people hear it first.
Prep your first one with Lauren
starting 1:1s with my team next week. I've never run one. what do I even say
exciting! the first one is mostly about how you'll work together, not the work itself
three questions to start: "How do you like to get feedback?" "What should I know about how you work best?" "What's one thing the last manager did that you'd like me to keep, or stop?"
that last one is a little scary
it is! it's also the one that tells them you actually want to know. want me to check in after your first one?
Make the half hour count.
Text Lauren before your one-on-ones. She'll help you pick the question that matters this week, and check in on what you agreed.
Hi Lauren! I want help running better one-on-ones with my team.
Lauren is a real coach. You're texting an AI trained on her coaching. Your first week is free. Cancel anytime from your account or by texting Lauren.
Frequently asked questions
What should be on a one-on-one meeting agenda?
Your report's topics first, then priorities and blockers, feedback in both directions, growth once a month, and next steps with owners and dates.
How long should a one-on-one meeting be?
Thirty minutes works for most people. Senior or remote reports may want 45. Shorter and more often beats long and rare.
How often should managers have one-on-ones?
Weekly or every two weeks for most direct reports, and weekly for new hires or anyone going through a big change.
Who should set the one-on-one agenda?
The direct report, mostly. It's their meeting. Managers add their items after the report's, in a shared doc both people can see.
What shouldn't you discuss in a one-on-one?
Routine project status that could be written, gossip about other people, and surprise performance verdicts. Hard feedback can come up, but it shouldn't be the first time someone hears about a serious problem.