<Toolkit> 1on1 Meeting Template

How to structure your 1on1s to make the most of everyone's time.

Member’s Only Toolkit

1on1s are the root of building individual relationships with your team, giving them the space to dig deeper into their role and enabling them to do their best work.

1on1s should be a shared meeting, with both people contributing to the content of the conversation.

Why use it?

Our teams want more structure, not less. Structure helps you manage expectations with your direct reports, and it removes the anxiety for your team that comes from unstructured meetings where they’re expected to drive the conversation.

Of the countless career conversations I have with people on a weekly basis, one of the most common themes is how much a waste of time meetings are, 1on1s included.

Meetings with your team, 1on1 or otherwise, are one of your biggest points of leverage as a leader. We are already spending time in them, yet few people make the most of them. By adding structure that is pointed to the right areas, meetings can become one of your team’s greatest assets instead of one of its biggest time sucks.

How to use it?

The sections in the template are intentional. They drive accountability, build trust, move the most important work forward, and focus on growth.

The button at the bottom of the post will create a copy of the Google Doc file. A few recommendations:

• Make a copy of this for each person you have recurring 1on1s with.

• Share the document with them and make them an Editor.

• Commit to filling out anything you’d like ahead of the 1on1, preferably the day before. If you set this standard, your team will follow.

• Add new 1on1s to the top of the doc, creating a running document with the information in reverse chronological order, helping you keep a rhythm of past meetings.

Preview of the 1on1 Meeting Template