Common One-on-One meeting template

One-on-one meeting template and top questions great managers ask to cultivate strong relationships and get aligned.

Meeting agenda template

Teamwork

• How's life? What did you do this weekend?
• What's your top priority this week?
• What's holding you back at work right now?
• What's going well? What are your recent wins?
• If we could improve in any way as a team, how could we do it?

Career growth

• What skills would you like to develop right now? How can I help you with it?
• Do you feel like you're growing in your role? What makes you say that?
• Which areas would you like more or less direction/support from me on your work?

Talking points

• What are your impressions of our 1:1s? How could we make them more useful for you?
• Any feedback or thoughts you'd like to share?

More info about the template

One-on-one meetings are one of the most important tools in a manager's toolbox to build strong relationships with the team members and set the foundation for success.

If you're interested to learn more about one-on-one meetings, check out this Introduction to one-on-ones for managers.

Here's some info about why we recommend asking these questions.

Teamwork

• How's life? What did you do this weekend?

It's always great to start the meeting with icebreakers and establish personal connections. It would help you get to know your team members better and help you understand how the person feels right now. It's important so that you know if the person would rather need support, or push, or just to be heard.

If the person has their topics to start with, usually it's best to give them priority and discuss first. Always check about that before going into your topics.

• What's your top priority this week?
  
• What's holding you back at work right now?
  
• What's going well? What are your recent wins?
  

After the personal connection ask what are the top priorities the person has. Make sure to understand what's going well and what are the blockers, so that you can help remove them.

• If we could improve in any way as a team, how could we do it?

It's also good to ask questions about how your team can improve or what you can change in your team to perform better.

Career growth

• What skills would you like to develop right now? How can I help you with it?
  
• Do you feel like you're growing in your role? What makes you say that?
  
• Which areas would you like more or less direction/support from me on your work?

Understand if your team/organization helps the person grow, what the person's preference, what skills the person needs to, or wants to improve. Employees are always thinking about their careers, make sure you also understand their plans and aspirations, so that you can help them achieve it inside your team.

Talking points

Talking point is the section for you to build the agenda that is specific for your team and company. Discuss recent events and activities that happened in your team.

• What are your impressions of our 1:1s? How could we make them more useful for you?
  
• Any feedback or thoughts you'd like to share?

Always ask what the other person thinks about your one-on-one meetings, how (s)he suggests to make them more productive. Never assume your meetings are going fine.

Common One-on-One template in Peoplelogic

Use this template in Peoplelogic for free. Save time, boost your productivity, never lose track of a follow-up action item again. Be prepared and have better, more meaningful conversations with your team. They will thank you! ❤️