10 tips for effective one-on-one meetings

What are one-on-one meetings?

In the workplace, a one-on-one meeting – also known as a one-to-one or 1:1 meeting – is a meeting between two people, typically a leader and a team member who reports to them. 

In general, a one-on-one meeting covers current progress or a status update, goal setting, feedback and problem solving. 

Regular, well-structured one-on-one meetings between a leader and their team members are vital for building strong relationships and boosting engagement in the workplace. 

“If you want to build a high-quality relationship, there’s no better way than a regular one-on-one,” says Will Felps, an associate professor at the UNSW Business School. 

“If you do one-on-ones the right way, they routinely lead to people having a better relationship with their boss, being more engaged at their work, being more committed to the company mission, and doing things because they want to, rather than because they have to.”

Here are 10 expert tips for running effective one-on-ones.

1. Make them less formal and more frequent

One-on-one meetings form an essential element of an ongoing performance review process. 

“The current thinking behind review discussions is that they should be less formal and more frequent – and ideally less stressful,” says Professor John Shields, the interim associate dean of programs at the University of Sydney Business School. 

2. Allocate enough time

One-on-ones require a significant time investment from leaders, who may have numerous team members reporting to them.

“As a manager, you probably want to spend up to one day a week devoted to one-on-ones,” Felps says. 

While blocking out an entire workday might feel like an onerous commitment, Felps believes the return on investment is worth it for overall team management.

3. Treat them as an opportunity, not a chore

One-on-ones can also be a valuable setting for upskilling employees. 

While group meetings lack the privacy needed for frank discussions about feedback, performance and career development, one-on-ones offer rich communication where emotional responses and nonverbal cues are evident. 

 

"They’re a setting where there’s an opportunity for teaching, coaching and feedback. There’s no other kind of meeting that makes that possible."

 

“They’re a setting where there’s an opportunity for teaching, coaching and feedback,” Felps says. 

“There’s no other kind of meeting that makes that possible.”

4. Take time to prepare – and create an agenda 

An effective one-on-one requires both parties to prepare ahead of time. 

The first task is to establish expectations, and decide:

• how often meetings will occur
• the format they will follow
• the topics they will cover
• who will run the meeting.

To ensure discussions are evidence-based, the leader and the team member should do their homework – which means bringing examples of past performance to the meeting. 

“Key to the preparation for effective meetings is garnering valid and reliable evidence on what has been done and what needs to be done next,” Shields says. 

“If the performance management system is working well, then both sides should be aware of issues in terms of past performance, and both sides should have had an opportunity to identify areas where the direct report can accentuate existing strengths or address existing weaknesses in their performance.”

 

"Key to the preparation for effective meetings is garnering valid and reliable evidence on what has been done and what needs to be done next"

 

To ensure the direct report extracts the most benefit from a one-on-one, they should take responsibility for leading the meeting and putting together the agenda, a shared document that allows both parties to comment or edit in the lead-up. 

5. Don’t cancel

While frequent one-on-ones can seem like a burden in a busy schedule, Felps advises against making a habit of cancelling regularly. 

“Not making them priority is not only a bit insulting, but also devalues the relationship,” he says.

Failing to meet regularly with direct reports can also allow minor issues to snowball into potential crises. 

“Things start slipping if you don’t have the regular check-ins to problem solve.”

6. Focus on the direct report

The focus of a one-on-one should be the direct report’s performance and development. Many leaders have a natural tendency to dominate discussions, but in a one-on-one meeting, they should let the team member do most of the talking. 

To support this, the leader should allow the team member to steer the first two-thirds of the meeting. A good rule for leaders is to try to speak for less than 50 per cent of the meeting’s duration. 

7. Listen carefully

“Asking open questions and then listening attentively to the results is a way to be engaged with the conversation without being overly directive,” Felps says.

The direct report can use the time to ask for guidance, resources or feedback or discuss challenges, obstacles or concerns they may be experiencing, Felps adds. 

“It works best if the direct report has the autonomy to say, ‘Here are the things that I would like help with, am struggling with, or want to discuss with you.’”

8. Leaders act as mentors

Shields says the leader should play the role of mentor rather than the judge in a one-on-one. 

“The ideal way to manage these meetings is to focus on problem-solving rather than prosecution,” he says. 

The leader should take over the final third of the meeting, using the opportunity to deliver updates, feedback and career coaching. 

9. Create SMART goals

At the end of the meeting, the leader should ask their team member to set up goals that outline what they hope to accomplish before the next one-on-one. 

Felps recommends using the SMART formula – Specific, Measurable, Ambitious (but Achievable), Relevant and Time-bound – to ensure goal setting is focused and accountable. 

He says it is crucial that the leader commits to the goal, too, as goals that are “recorded and resourced” are more likely to be met.

“The last thing the manager should say in a one-on-one is a confirmation of what they’re planning to do to support the direct report in achieving the goal before the next meeting,” Felps adds.

10. Update the agenda post-meeting

After the meeting – ideally within 24 hours – the team member should update the “living agenda” with takeaways, action items and SMART goals. 

The leader should then review the document, highlighting priorities and filling in any gaps.

“The agenda becomes a record of how you’re travelling,” Felps says.