How to run effective 1:1s
By: Roger Norton
Tags: 1 On 1, Tips And Tools, Management And Leadership

Creating an open opportunity for team members to raise issues and ask questions outside of the work tasks is really important, particularly to uncover hidden underlying issues that never get explicitly raised.

The most important thing to keep in mind is to keep the ‘space’ open for your report to fill and keep it free of your judgement and prejudices. You need to be aware of the filters that you’re listening through and how that changes how you hear what they’re actually saying. Remember that this is their time to talk and be heard so always pause after they’ve said something to ensure they’re finished.

I typically book a 30 min slot for the check-in but always make sure that I have 30 minutes free directly afterwards in case it runs over. I find that they typically take 20–40 minutes depending on how much the person has to say. Ideally, these should be held with everyone that reports to you once every 2 weeks — but at least once a month. (I try and do it with the whole team at least once every quarter too.)

Here are some questions that I use to drive the conversation:

How’s it going? (This is normally a light way to open, but importantly needs to be followed by silence on your side to allow them to speak fully. Awkward silences are great to get other people to talk — remember your job is to hold the ‘space’.) Asking “ What does that mean? ” as a follow up will help unpack a curt response like “fine”.

(This is normally a light way to open, but importantly needs to be followed by silence on your side to allow them to speak fully. Awkward silences are great to get other people to talk — remember your job is to hold the ‘space’.) Asking “ ” as a follow up will help unpack a curt response like “fine”. What would you like to discuss? Right off the bat give them the opportunity to drive the agenda. Hopefully they’ve brought a couple of agenda points that matter to them.

Right off the bat give them the opportunity to drive the agenda. Hopefully they’ve brought a couple of agenda points that matter to them. What have you learnt in the last year/quarter/month? This helps to get a perspective on what’s been important and noteworthy for them — it’s often not what you think

This helps to get a perspective on what’s been important and noteworthy for them — it’s often not what you think What do you want to learn next? Here you’re listening for where they might want to move in the org or challenges to take on to stay engaged & interested.

Here you’re listening for where they might want to move in the org or challenges to take on to stay engaged & interested. Do you feel challenged? Are you growing in your career / becoming more employable? For me this is the most important question. If they’re not feeling like they’re growing in your environment then you have BIG problems. Even a mediocre response here should be concerning

For me this is the most important question. If they’re not feeling like they’re growing in your environment then you have BIG problems. Even a mediocre response here should be concerning How do you find working with your peers? Do you get enough support? Generally, this question will raise one of the extremes, either someone not pulling their weight or someone who’s gone above and beyond. Trends from multiple people matter here more than individual comments. Be very careful not to create an expectation of culture of ‘ratting on others’ but frame it as areas where you could positively influence.

Generally, this question will raise one of the extremes, either someone not pulling their weight or someone who’s gone above and beyond. Trends from multiple people matter here more than individual comments. Be very careful not to create an expectation of culture of ‘ratting on others’ but frame it as areas where you could positively influence. How could I/management support you better? The answer to this will almost always be positive — to your face — so even a minor negative comment you need to seriously unpack to see how you can address it.

The answer to this will almost always be positive — to your face — so even a minor negative comment you need to seriously unpack to see how you can address it. What could we be doing better as a company? What should we change about the way we work, the office, etc? This covers business processes and culture. Here you want to try and not get caught up in the symptoms, but rather look for the underlying cause. This will often raise quick easy wins that you can do too.

This covers business processes and culture. Here you want to try and not get caught up in the symptoms, but rather look for the underlying cause. This will often raise quick easy wins that you can do too. What do you think is the worst part of our product? What should we focus on that we’re not? All software will have tech debt and legacy code and often talking to customers helps understand the market need — but talking to your team building it can offer structural changes and red flags that are going to cost you in the future.

All software will have tech debt and legacy code and often talking to customers helps understand the market need — but talking to your team building it can offer structural changes and red flags that are going to cost you in the future. Is there anything that you want to know about the company? I typically build radically transparent companies, so I’ll answer these questions as openly and directly as possible. (Salaries of others is the only no-go for various reasons — but that’s another post.) It can be anything from funding and future plans, to an office move or how we’re planning on dealing with a certain issue.

I don’t always ask all of these, particularly not if they’ve brought in an agenda, but do find them a useful backbone to drive the conversation. When you’re talking remember to be concise and address their questions in full. I try not to raise a topic of where I think they should focus or improve that they haven’t until after the last question. If you use OKRs then it is also valuable to do a quick check-in on the progress at the end.

The important thing to keep in mind is that 1:1s for me are about the person, not the work list. If you need to talk about the work, then have a specific meeting for that. These session should be about them, their growth and their role. (What can work is a weekly check-in about the work, but once a month you focus on their growth.)