one-on-one-template

name	one-on-one-template
description	Designs 1:1 meeting templates with check-in questions, career development discussion, and action items for effective manager conversations.
allowed-tools	Read Write Glob
metadata	{"author":"matthewhitcham","version":"1.0"}

One-on-One Template

When to Use This Skill

Use this skill when you need to:

• Create a structured template for recurring 1:1 meetings with team members
• Design check-in questions that surface real issues and build trust
• Include career development and growth conversations in 1:1s
• Standardize how you run 1:1 meetings across your team

DO NOT use this skill for performance reviews, meeting agendas for group meetings, or project check-ins. This is for the recurring manager-report 1:1 relationship meeting.

---

Core Principle

THE 1:1 IS THE TEAM MEMBER'S MEETING, NOT YOURS — IT EXISTS TO SURFACE WHAT YOU WOULD NOT HEAR OTHERWISE, BUILD TRUST, AND REMOVE OBSTACLES FROM THEIR PATH.

---

Phase 1: Meeting Design

Define the cadence and structure.

Required Inputs

Input	What to Ask	Default
Team member role	"What role is this 1:1 for?"	No default
Relationship	"How long have you worked together?"	New relationship
Frequency	"How often will you meet? (weekly, biweekly)"	Weekly
Duration	"How long is each meeting?"	30 minutes
Format	"Video call, phone, or in-person?"	Video call
Current pain	"What is not working in your current 1:1s (if any)?"	No structure

GATE: Confirm meeting parameters before building the template.

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Phase 2: Build Template

Create the 1:1 meeting template.

Standard 1:1 Template (30 minutes)

## 1:1 Meeting: [Manager] + [Team Member]

**Date:** [Date]
**Duration:** 30 minutes

---

### Their Updates (10 min)
*Let the team member lead. Ask open questions, listen more than talk.*

- How are you doing this week? (Personal + professional)
- What is going well?
- What is challenging right now?
- Is there anything blocking your progress?

### Priorities Check (10 min)
*Align on what matters most and clear obstacles.*

- What are your top priorities this week?
- Are they the right priorities? (Validate or redirect)
- What do you need from me to get them done?
- Any decisions you need me to make?

### Growth and Development (5 min)
*Rotate through these themes — pick 1-2 per meeting, not all.*

- What did you learn this week?
- What skill do you want to develop?
- Is there a project or opportunity you want to take on?
- How are you feeling about your career trajectory?

### Action Items (5 min)
*Both parties leave with clear commitments.*

| Action | Owner | Due |
|--------|-------|-----|
| | | |
| | | |

### Notes for Next Meeting
[Carry-forward items, topics to revisit]

Question Library

Rotate questions to keep 1:1s fresh:

Engagement and Satisfaction:

• What is energizing you right now?
• What is draining you?
• On a scale of 1-10, how happy are you at work? What would make it a point higher?

Feedback:

• What is one thing I could do differently as your manager?
• Is there anything you are not getting feedback on but wish you were?
• What feedback do you have for the team or company?

Strategy and Alignment:

• Do you feel clear on priorities? Where is it murky?
• Are you spending time on the right things?
• What would you stop doing if you could?

Relationship and Trust:

• Is there anything you have been wanting to bring up but have not?
• Do you feel you have enough autonomy?
• How can I better support you?

GATE: Present template for review and customization.

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Phase 3: Running the Meeting

Guidelines for effective 1:1 execution.

Before the Meeting

• Both parties add topics to a shared document 24 hours before
• Review notes from the last 1:1 — follow up on previous action items
• Come prepared to listen, not just to update

During the Meeting

• Start with their agenda, not yours
• Listen to ratio: aim for them talking 70%, you talking 30%
• Take notes on commitments and follow-ups
• If they say "everything is fine" — dig deeper with specific questions
• Address difficult topics early, not in the last 2 minutes

After the Meeting

• Summarize action items in the shared document within 1 hour
• Follow through on your commitments before the next 1:1
• If a sensitive topic came up, check in via message within 48 hours

Shared Document Structure

## 1:1 Running Document: [Manager] + [Team Member]

### [Date]
**Their updates:**
**Priorities:**
**Growth topic:**
**Action items:**

### [Previous Date]
...

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Phase 4: Evolve

Adapt the 1:1 format as the relationship matures.

Cadence Adjustments

• New team member (first 90 days): Weekly 1:1s, 30-45 minutes
• Established relationship (90+ days): Weekly or biweekly, 30 minutes
• Senior/autonomous team member: Biweekly, 25 minutes
• During crisis or change: Return to weekly regardless of seniority

Quarterly Relationship Check

Every 3 months, ask:

1. "Are our 1:1s useful? What would make them better?"
2. "Is the cadence right?"
3. "Is there a topic we keep avoiding that we should address?"

1:1 Self-Audit

For the manager:

• Am I following through on commitments?
• Am I doing more listening than talking?
• Am I asking about growth, not just tasks?
• Am I canceling or rescheduling 1:1s too often?

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Anti-Patterns

• Status update meetings — if the entire 1:1 is project updates, it is not a 1:1. Status updates belong in standups or async.
• Manager talks the whole time — this is their meeting. Your job is to ask, listen, and unblock.
• Canceling regularly — canceling 1:1s tells the team member their development is not a priority.
• Only talking when things go wrong — 1:1s should happen consistently, not just when there is a problem to address.
• Same questions every week — rotate questions. The same template every week becomes stale.

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Recovery

• Team member says nothing is wrong (but something clearly is): Build trust over time. Ask specific questions: "How did the [specific project] go?" is better than "How are things?"
• 1:1s feel like a waste of time: The template is probably wrong or too rigid. Ask the team member what they would find useful and redesign together.
• User manages too many people for weekly 1:1s: Biweekly is the minimum. If that is not feasible, the team structure needs to change, not the 1:1 cadence.
• Team member is also the user's only report: 1:1s are still critical. Use them for alignment, development, and building the relationship that makes remote work function.
• Difficult feedback needs to be delivered: Do not wait for the 1:1. Address it sooner. But if it comes up in a 1:1, address it in the first 10 minutes, not the last 5.