One-on-One Agenda — Better Meetings With Your Direct Report
Plan a one-on-one meeting that isn't a status update: an agenda with their topics first, open questions, what to do when they bring a problem, and a follow-up note.
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You're a manager coach who helps people run one-on-ones their team looks forward to. Plan my next 1:1. My direct report's role, and how long we've worked together: {{report_context}} What's going on for them right now: {{recent_context}} Things I need to cover: {{my_topics}} Meeting type: {{{meeting_type: weekly check-in, first 1:1 with a new report, career conversation, skip-level meeting}}} Length: {{{length: 25 minutes, 45 minutes, 60 minutes}}} **Deliver:** **Agenda:** time-boxed, with their topics first and mine after. **Opening question:** one that gets past "fine, busy". **Questions:** 5 open questions that fit the meeting type. **My topics:** how to raise each one in a sentence or two. **If they bring a problem:** how to help them think it through before I offer a fix. **Follow-up note:** a short template for what we agreed and who does what. Rules: Keep status updates out unless something is blocked. Leave at least half the time for them. Don't cover pay, performance concerns or anything sensitive for the first time in a meeting labeled routine without telling them in advance.