Templates · 6 min read
1:1 meeting template: a free agenda managers and reports use
Published
A good 1:1 is the most useful half hour in a working week. A bad one is a status update that could have been a message. The difference is rarely the people. It is usually the agenda. This post gives you three free 1:1 meeting templates you can copy today, and simple habits that keep them working.
What a 1:1 meeting is for
A 1:1 is a regular, private meeting between a manager and one person on their team. It belongs to the report more than to the manager. It is the place to raise problems early, talk about growth, and build trust.
It is not the place for project status. Status belongs in your project tool or your team meeting. If most of your 1:1 is "where are we on X", you are spending private time on public information.
- Remove blockers before they grow.
- Share feedback in both directions while it is still fresh.
- Talk about goals, growth and the next step in a career.
- Notice early signs of stress, boredom or confusion.
- Agree on clear next steps, with an owner for each.
How to use these templates
Keep one shared document per person, not one per meeting. Add each new agenda at the top. That way you both can scroll back and see what you talked about last month. Both people should add items during the week, not five minutes before the call.
The report goes first. Their topics are the main reason the meeting exists. The manager adds topics at the end, and only if there is time left.
Template 1: weekly 1:1 agenda
Use this for your regular weekly or every-two-weeks meeting. It fits in 30 minutes. Skip any section that has nothing in it. An empty section is fine. A rushed meeting is not.
- Check-in (2 min): How are you feeling this week, on a scale of 1 to 5?
- Last time (3 min): Review action items from our last 1:1. Done, in progress or dropped?
- Your topics (15 min): What do you want to talk about today?
- Wins (3 min): What went well since we last met, big or small?
- Blockers (3 min): Is anything slowing you down that I can help with?
- Feedback (2 min): One thing I could do better as your manager.
- Manager topics (if time): Updates or questions from me.
- Next steps (2 min): Who does what, and by when?
The wins line matters more than it looks. People forget most of their good work within weeks. Writing it down here gives you both a record to use at review time, so nobody has to rely on memory.
Template 2: first 1:1 with a new report
The first 1:1 sets the tone for every meeting after it. Use it to learn how the person likes to work, and to explain how you work. Plan for 45 to 60 minutes. It's fine to finish early.
- Introductions: Tell me a bit about yourself and your path so far.
- Your best manager: What did they do that helped you most?
- Your worst experience: What should I avoid doing?
- How you like to work: Focus hours, meetings, async or live, written or spoken.
- Feedback style: How do you like to get feedback? In private, in writing, right away?
- What motivates you: What kind of work gives you energy?
- What drains you: What kind of work wears you down?
- Goals: What do you want to learn or achieve in the next year?
- How I work: My hours, how to reach me, and what I expect from 1:1s.
- Our 1:1 rhythm: How often, how long, and where we keep the agenda.
- Next steps: What do you need from me in your first weeks?
Write down the answers. Read them again before your third and tenth 1:1. Small details, like "prefers feedback in writing", are easy to forget and make a real difference.
Template 3: career conversation
Weekly 1:1s are often too busy for big questions. Set aside one meeting every quarter just for career growth. Tell the person a week before so they can think about it.
- Looking back: What work from the last few months are you most proud of?
- Energy: Which tasks did you enjoy most, and which did you enjoy least?
- Skills: Which skills have grown? Which ones do you want to build next?
- Direction: Where do you want to be in one year? In three years?
- Path: Do you lean toward a deeper expert role, leading people, or something else?
- Next level: What does the next level look like here, and where are the gaps?
- Support: What projects, mentors or training would help you get there?
- Goal: One growth goal for the next quarter, with a way to measure it.
- Next steps: What will you do, and what will I do?
Not everyone wants a promotion. Some people want to go deeper in their craft. Some want more balance. A career conversation works when you listen for what the person wants, not what you would want in their place.
How often should you have 1:1s?
Weekly works well for new hires, new managers, and anyone going through a hard time. Every two weeks works for most experienced people. Monthly is usually too rare. Problems grow for weeks before anyone talks about them.
Try not to cancel. If you must, move the meeting instead. A cancelled 1:1 tells the person that other things matter more. If you cancel often, the person stops bringing real topics.
Common 1:1 mistakes to avoid
- Turning it into a status update. Ask about status somewhere else.
- Only the manager talks. Aim for the report speaking most of the time.
- No notes. Without notes, the same topics come up again and again.
- No follow-up. Action items that never happen teach people that 1:1s do not matter.
- Skipping the hard topics. Small problems are easier to fix than big ones.
- Same questions every week. Rotate a few new ones to keep it fresh.
Good questions to keep in your back pocket
Some weeks the agenda is thin. These questions help start a real conversation.
- What is one thing that would make your week easier?
- Is there a decision you are waiting on from someone?
- What did you learn recently?
- Who on the team has helped you lately?
- Is there anything you are worried about but have not said yet?
- What should we stop doing as a team?
Carry items over, do not lose them
Not every topic gets covered. That is normal. The mistake is letting it disappear. Move unfinished topics to the top of the next agenda. Do the same with open action items. Over time, this one habit makes 1:1s feel connected instead of random.
Running 1:1s in glariu
glariu builds these habits in. Each 1:1 has a shared agenda both people can add to, and open items and action items carry over to the next meeting on their own. You can attach a 1:1 guide, like the career conversation above, and log wins as they come up so they are ready at review time.