Weekly 1-1s are a fantastic tool in your leadership toolbox.
So, use it (weekly for best results).
The benefits of holding weekly 1-1s include:
Builds relationships with your team
Keeps you and your team on the same page
Prevents small issues snowballing into big issues
Improves communication and trust
Keeps a pulse on satisfaction and emerging issues
That being said, you should only be having 1-1s if they are an effective use of time and add value to both you and your employees.
As both an employee and a leader, I’ve experienced that uncomfortable feeling when neither party is getting value from the meeting and you just want it to end.
Through this, I’ve developed a 1-1 structure that is impactful for everyone.
1-1 same page sheet - Access here and create your copy
Let's get into it how to run a 1-1 that works 👇
This post covers:
Preparing for 1-1s [free 1-1 template]
Holding your 1-1s
Following up 1-1s
What 1-1s are not
TL;DR
🗓️ Hold your 1-1s at the same time on the same day with the same agenda
💻 Create a same-page document where discussion items can be added throughout the week
🔢 Use prioritisation to ensure that you cover the most important points in the finite time that you have
❌ 1-1s shouldn’t be a replacement for career conversations, development planning or performance reviews
🧲 Build accountability by doing what you say you’ll do and expecting the same from your team members
Preparing for 1-1s
Same time, same day
Schedule your 1-1 at the same day and time each week to provide consistency and routine.
Keep to an agenda
An agenda provides a clear structure for the session and maximises the time that you have together.
My agenda looks like this:
Check-in - how are you doing?
Outstanding actions review - did I/you do what we said we would do to make progress? Do any actions need to be discussed?
Discussion/solving - what important items do we need to discuss or solve?
Recap of new actions - what have I/you committed to doing next and by when?
Same page document [free template]
Providing a shared document (e.g. Excel, Notion, Sheets) ensures that you stay on the same page before, during and after your 1-1s.
My same page document looks like this:
Agenda
Discussion/solving list
Actions list
1-1 same page sheet - Access here and create your copy
A major benefit of the same page document is that items can be added to the discussion/solving list throughout the week ready for discussion at the 1-1. There shouldn’t be any rules about what gets added to the list by the employee. The items I typically see are:
Blockers or barriers to progress
Issues that someone can’t solve themselves
Things that aren’t working
Ideas or suggestions
Something that someone wants coaching or guidance on
And, if there’s nothing on the list then a 1-1 is a great opportunity to have a deeper check-in with your team member and uncover any issues. Ask them:
What’s working?
What’s not working?
How can I support you better?
Holding your 1-1s
The 80/20 rule
A 1-1 is a space for your team member to speak and your opportunity to listen. Aim to spend 80% of your time listening and asking questions vs 20% of your time speaking.
Recommended reading: How to use silence as a leader (including a section on 1-1s)
Tackle the most important items first
In a 1-1, you have a finite amount of time. Using your discussion/solving list, prioritise the items as 1, 2, and 3. Once you have tackled the top 3, reprioritise and go again.
This ensures that the most important things are discussed and solved and that items don’t snowball into major problems.
Remove distractions
This one seems obvious but we’ve all been in a meeting with someone and they’ve had a notification come through or an instant message pop up.
You can tell that they’re distracted. And, it doesn’t feel good to be on the other end. Ensure that your focus is 100% with your team member.
Following up 1-1s
Do what you said you’d do
Not doing what you said you’d do is a great way to break trust with your team members.
So, if you said you’d share a resource or approve a request following the 1-1 then make sure you do it. I’d suggest having 5 minutes set aside after every 1-1 to follow up on your quick commits. Bigger actions may take longer and should have a completion date allocated.
By holding yourself accountable, you are demonstrating what you expect from your team. Which brings me on to my next point…
Have they done what they said they’d do?
If you are running 1-1s the right way, most of the actions will be with your employee. This is because the items that are added to the discussion/solve list will typically be their responsibility to solve - they just need some guidance or coaching. If you are leaving a 1-1 with all the actions then check this out 👇
Recommended reading: The One Minute Manager Meets the Monkey by Ken Blanchard
If an action hasn’t been completed, don’t just brush past it or ‘leave it for next week’ (most people do!). Ask follow-up questions such as:
What got in the way of completing the action?
Was the action/deadline achievable?
How can you ensure that it is completed by our next 1-1?
In most instances, the action has simply been forgotten about or not prioritised. By discussing it, you are setting an expectation that your employees will do what they said they would which, in turn, builds accountability across your team.
What weekly 1-1s are not
A status update
1-1s should be focused on discussion, issue-solving and relationship-building.
There are much more effective and efficient ways to get a project status update from your team members that are often asynchronous (and a better use of everyone’s time!).
A feedback dump
As a rule of thumb, the most effective feedback is delivered within 24 hours. Your 1-1 shouldn’t be a forum for you to dump all of your feedback from the week on your employees.
Recommended reading: The framework I use to deliver feedback effectively
A replacement for career conversations
Although you may touch on these topics, you should also be having a dedicated session(s) for discussing career growth, professional development and performance.
Structured and dedicated career conversations ensure that your team members have a clear roadmap that they are working towards and that there are never any surprises when it comes to a performance review.
Recommended resources
Article: Upgrading your 1 to 1s by House of Leadership
Podcast: Meet Like A Boss — The 411 On 1:1s by Radical Candor
Template: 1-1 same page sheet by The New Leaders Network
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Coming up: Next week, I’ll be sharing the podcasts I’d be listening to if I wanted to be a better leader or manager.
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