Run effective one to ones

A useful one-to-one gives a team member space to surface priorities, obstacles and development needs before they become urgent.

Protect the purpose

Schedule a regular 25 to 45 minute conversation. Start with the employee's agenda, then cover work priorities, decisions needed, feedback and career development. Keep status updates brief if they are already visible elsewhere.

Sample agenda

1. What is taking the most attention this week?
2. What is blocked, and what decision would help?
3. Where are you making progress that I may not see?
4. What feedback do you have for me?
5. What skill or opportunity would you like to build?

Follow through

Write down actions, owners and dates. If you promise an introduction or decision, complete it before the next meeting. Ask whether the format works. Some people need more frequent support during a transition, while others need more autonomy.

Let the employee lead part of the agenda

Ask them to bring one obstacle, one success and one development topic. The manager can add priorities and feedback. This creates room for issues that do not appear in a project dashboard. An employee who repeatedly reports no obstacles may still be unsure what is safe to raise, so ask about specific processes rather than demanding vulnerability.

Separate coaching from evaluation

A regular check-in is a place to test ideas and seek help. Formal performance concerns should be stated clearly, documented and handled under organisational policy. Surprising someone with a serious warning inside a routine one-to-one damages trust.

Measure whether meetings help

After several weeks, ask whether decisions are quicker, work is clearer and promised support has arrived. If neither person can name a useful outcome, change the format or cadence. The point is better work and development, not a calendar ritual.

Next steps

Use the resources below to turn this topic into a plan suited to your situation.