| 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.
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.
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]
...
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:
- "Are our 1:1s useful? What would make them better?"
- "Is the cadence right?"
- "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?
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.
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.
