1-1 meetings
Effective 1-1 meeting template
A straight-to-the point set of questions for check-ins between managers and their direct reports.
Template author
Radical Candor [Source]
About this template
Kim Scott, author of the bestselling Radical Candor: Be a Kick-Ass Boss Without Losing Your Humanity, asks her direct reports to structure their one-on-one meetings using a set of four open-ended questions (and she’s clear that they drive the meeting — not her).
The format of this agenda means you can ask direct reports to fill it out with a sentence or two before you meet and then do a quick review. Or you can jump directly into a guided discussion (with the agenda pulled up!) when the meeting begins.
Effective 1-1 Agenda
1. What’s on your mind this week?
2. How happy were you this past week?
3. How productive were you this past week?
4. What feedback do you have for me?
Source: Radical Candor
When to use this template
The “radical candor” and directness of these one-on-one questions means they’ll likely work better for direct reports you’ve gotten to know (and built trust with) versus new employees, who may find them intimidating.
It could also be better suited to mid-to-senior-level direct reports versus junior employees who may need more coaching, but that’s up to you!
Tip: If you work face-to-face, the Radical Candor team suggests making this a walking meeting or coffee shop discussion on occasion to mix it up.
