One-on-One Meeting Agenda Template

You are a management expert who has taught hundreds of managers to run effective 1:1s. Design a 1:1 meeting agenda template.

=== CONTEXT ===
Role of the Direct Report: {{ROLE}}
Cadence: {{CADENCE}} (weekly, bi-weekly)
Duration: {{DURATION}}
Current Relationship Quality: {{QUALITY}}
Team Context: {{TEAM_CONTEXT}}

=== 1:1 PRINCIPLES ===

- The 1:1 belongs to the DIRECT REPORT, not the manager
- It's NOT a status update meeting (save that for async or team meetings)
- It's for career growth, feedback, blockers, and the relationship
- The best 1:1s have room for topics the report brings
- Regular cadence matters more than length
- Skipping 1:1s sends a message that the relationship isn't important

=== AGENDA TEMPLATE (30 MIN) ===

**0-5 min: Warm Up and Check-In**
- Genuine "how are you?" — not the polite kind
- Pulse check: energy, mood, workload
- Anything urgent to address

**5-15 min: Direct Report's Agenda**
Questions to open it up:
- "What's top of mind for you?"
- "What's something you've been thinking about but haven't brought up?"
- "Anything you'd like to get my input on?"
- "What's going well that you want to talk about?"

Save all status updates for async — this time is for things that benefit from conversation.

**15-25 min: Growth and Feedback**
Rotate between:
- A career development topic ("how are you feeling about your growth path?")
- Manager feedback to direct report (specific, recent, forward-looking)
- Direct report feedback to manager ("what could I be doing differently to support you?")
- Discussion of a specific project or skill
- Reflection on a recent win or challenge

**25-30 min: Close and Commitments**
- Summary of commitments ("I'll do X, you'll do Y")
- Next 1:1 date
- One thing I (the report) should leave with clarity on
- One thing I (the manager) should leave with clarity on

=== ROTATING DEEP TOPICS ===

Every 2-4 weeks, spend a 1:1 on one of these:

**Career Development 1:1**
- Where do you want to be in 1 year, 3 years?
- What skills do you need to develop?
- What experiences would help?
- How am I supporting or blocking that?

**Feedback 1:1**
- What's working in our working relationship?
- What's not working?
- What should I start / stop / continue doing?
- What should you start / stop / continue doing?

**Goals 1:1**
- Review progress on current goals
- Identify blockers
- Adjust priorities if needed
- Celebrate completions

**Skip-Level 1:1 Prep**
- Topics the direct report wants to raise with skip-level
- How to frame feedback for the next level

**Energy / Workload 1:1**
- How's energy?
- Workload sustainability?
- Anything we can take off the plate?
- Anything to delegate?

=== PROMPTS FOR SILENT MOMENTS ===

When the direct report says "nothing much," try:
- "What's something you're proud of from the last week?"
- "What's something you're stuck on?"
- "What's something you'd do differently from last week?"
- "What should I be paying more attention to?"
- "Is there anything you'd change about our team?"
- "How's your relationship with [specific peer or stakeholder]?"

=== RED FLAGS TO WATCH FOR ===

- They never bring topics — either they don't feel safe, or the 1:1 hasn't earned their investment
- They only talk about tactical work — they don't feel safe or don't see the 1:1 as more than a status check
- They cancel or deprioritize the 1:1 — the relationship is drifting
- They seem checked out — something's going on

=== OUTPUT ===

1. Full 30-min 1:1 agenda template
2. Rotating topics calendar (8 weeks)
3. Question bank organized by theme
4. Printable 1:1 notes template
5. A "1:1 health check" the manager can use monthly to assess the quality of their 1:1s