Transformative 1:1 Meetings

Your next 1-on-1 is either building trust or breaking it. Most managers treat them like status updates. Most employees see them as obligations. After years of leading teams through growth and crisis, I've learned the truth: The best 1-on-1s aren't meetings. They're investments in human potential. When done right, these 30 minutes can transform: • Disengaged employees into champions • Surface problems become solutions • Good performers into great leaders Here's how to make every 1-on-1 count: For Managers: 1/ Start human, not tactical "What's on your mind?" beats "What's your update?" every time. Let them drive the agenda first. 2/ Listen like your success depends on it Because it does. Their challenges are your early warning system. Their wins are your team's momentum. 3/ Ask the question that matters "What support do you need?" Then actually provide it. Trust compounds when promises are kept. For Employees: 1/ Come with intention This is your time. Own it. Bring your real challenges, not just safe updates. 2/ Share what's actually blocking you Your manager can't fix what they can't see. But come with potential solutions too. It shows you're thinking, not just venting. 3/ Talk about tomorrow, not just today Where do you want to grow? What skills are you building? Make your development their priority. Great 1-on-1s don't just review work. They build relationships. They surface insights. They prevent fires instead of fighting them. The game-changer most miss: End every 1-on-1 with absolute clarity: 📌 What are the next steps? 📌 Who owns what? 📌 When will we check progress? Vague endings create frustrated teams. Your people don't need another meeting. They need a moment where someone truly sees them, hears them, and helps them win. Give them that, and watch what happens. What's one thing that transformed your 1-on-1s? ♻️ Repost if this changes how you approach 1-on-1s Follow Desiree Gruber for more insights on storytelling, leadership, and brand building.

After 15 years of managing teams, here's the framework I use to turn awkward 1:1s into sessions my team actually looks forward to: 1) Start on a high “What was your biggest win this month?” This isn't just feel-good fluff. When team members know I'll ask this question, they spend the entire month working toward wins we can celebrate together. If someone can’t name a win, that’s data. Now I know where to support. 2) Move to challenges “What’s been your biggest challenge lately?” or “What’s keeping you up at night?” Let them bring up the tough stuff first. You shift from a “me vs. you” vibe to a “we’ll solve it together” mindset. 3) Open the door “Tell me about you. How’s everything going?” This invites what doesn’t fit neatly on a status report: schedule needs, personal context, unspoken worries. Bonus questions I keep in my back pocket: • "How do you feel the team is doing?" • "Which team members do you wish you had more connection with?" • "What are your goals for this month?" • "How can I support you in growing toward those goals?" I conclude the call with a meta-question most managers skip: “What do you wish I asked you more often?” I learn whether they want more help on productivity, learning, career path, or just time to think together. These questions aren't scripts. They're starting points for real conversations. What's your go-to question for connecting with your team?

Looking to make the most of your 1:1s with your manager/direct report? People often confuse 1:1 with “status report.” But the truth is, a status report can be shared over Slack. Meetings — especially ones between a manager and direct report — should be leveraged for those more nuanced topics, where a quick Slack message just won’t do the trick. If you’re a manager, this is your time to shine as an advocate and coach, while catching underlying issues before it’s too late. Here’s a list of topics to start prioritizing in your 1:1s (with a few sample questions to get you started): 🧠 EQ check - On a scale of 1 - 10, how stressed are you right now? - On a scale of 1 - 10, how motivated do you feel when you start each day? - On a scale of 1 - 10, how satisfied are you with your job right now? - What are you most excited about at work right now? ⌚️Optimization check - What’s eating up the most of your time right now? - What is your biggest blocker? - What are you struggling with the most? - What would make your day-to-day 10% easier? 🏋️♀️ Career coaching: - Let’s explore your top growth areas / opportunities. - Let’s explore opportunities to take on new tasks / responsibilities. - What new things would you be curious to learn or explore? - Let’s discuss how you’re performing against the expectations of your role. You don’t have to hit each of these topics every time, but prioritizing 1 or 2 of them will help ensure you and your manager/report are making the most out of your time together and addressing some of the higher impact, more critical issues outside of the usual status update. 👉 For more helpful manager Qs, download my full list here: https://lnkd.in/ezEFPdBy What Qs did I miss? #hr #hrbp #managers

A manager came to a 1:1 with me last year with about fifteen goals...and a thumping headache. Actually, he originally told me he had no "set" goals but in our discussions, he named a long list of things he wanted to achieve. We spent the first session helping him to get a lot clearer. I asked him to set just one goal for each of the following areas: 1️⃣ Leader growth (you): your behaviour- how you show up. 2️⃣ Team development: the way your people work together 3️⃣ Lean/Operational performance: improving flow in and between processes 4️⃣ Strategy-aligned impact: what matters most to the business this quarter. Then we gave each goal three lenses: 💠 Behaviours/Practices (what you will do consistently) 💠 Measures (one leading + one lagging) 💠 Enablers (skills/tools/time/stakeholders). And so.... His action plan became: 🔸 Measure the number of issues solved with/without escalation. 🔸 Measure the rework time and associated costs 🔸 Lead a daily 10-min huddle- train and train/rotate facilitators 🔸 Lead a weekly improvement meeting (Send recurring invites to key people) 🔸 Introduce two-way feedback in every 1:1. (Change 1:1 template) 🔸 Track improvements, not just problems. 🔸 Practice ‘ask-and-listen’ every single day. Record examples. We are now well into Q4 of this year and after 10 coaching sessions with a strong emphasis on PDCA (Plan Do Check Adjust), my client has a lot less headaches, a lot more focus and a list of achievements as well as goals. 🙋♀️ Reach out if you want to know more about my work. I combine Lean mentoring, leadership coaching, and team development to help teams gain clarity, work smarter, and continuously improve.

Senior leaders: It’s time to stop having so many 1:1s. Yes, I said it. And I’ve said it 𝘵𝘰 CEOs, COOs, and executive teams across industries a thousand times. Why? Because too many 1:1s at the top don’t align or accelerate anything—they fragment decision-making, reinforce silos, and often become political currency cloaked in “access.” I’ve seen it firsthand in my client work. When execs spend their days in private conversations, the organization ends up needing a translator just to keep up. I’ve been advising leaders for years to shift from private, function-based conversations to shared, capability-based ones. It’s more efficient, yes—but it’s also more honest, strategic, and aligned with how value is actually created. In my latest piece for Harvard Business Review, I share what happens when you make this shift—with examples from leaders like Melissa, who found that 𝘩𝘦𝘳 1:1s weren’t just draining her capacity—they were undermining her team’s cohesion. Here’s my take on this: 𝘔𝘢𝘬𝘦 1:1𝘴 𝘲𝘶𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘭𝘺—𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘥𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘭𝘰𝘱𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘭. 𝘚𝘩𝘪𝘧𝘵 𝘰𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘭 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘨𝘪𝘤 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘵𝘰 1:2 𝘰𝘳 1:3 “𝘤𝘢𝘱𝘢𝘣𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘺” 𝘮𝘦𝘦𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴. 𝘍𝘳𝘦𝘦 𝘶𝘱 𝘦𝘹𝘦𝘤𝘶𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘵𝘦𝘢𝘮 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘬 𝘰𝘯𝘭𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘦𝘢𝘮 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘥𝘰—𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘱𝘳𝘪𝘴𝘦 𝘥𝘪𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯, 𝘤𝘶𝘭𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘢𝘭 𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘨𝘯𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵, 𝘴𝘺𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘮-𝘸𝘪𝘥𝘦 𝘱𝘳𝘪𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘦𝘴. You don’t need more meetings. You need the right people in the room, listening for the right reasons. What have you seen excessive 1x1s at the senior level do in your organizations or the ones you support? https://hubs.la/Q03wm5Hg0 #leadership #meetings #culture #productivity

Most 1:1s fall apart because they slowly turn into weekly status updates…or low-key therapy…or a mix of both. And once that happens, they start feeling VERY skippable. If you want your 1:1s to do more than just fill time, actually help your team learn and make progress, this is a format that actually works. Think of this as a guide, not a script. You won’t hit every point every time. A 1:1 format you can actually use every fortnight: 1️⃣ What’s been on your mind since we last spoke? Sets the tone. Human, not performative. 2️⃣ Where has work felt a bit stuck or harder than it needs to be? Keeps the conversation practical, not venty. 3️⃣ What are you trying to get better at right now? Keeps learning alive without turning the meeting into a goal-setting exercise. 4️⃣ What progress have you noticed, even small? Builds momentum without turning it into a performance review. 5️⃣ What’s one thing you want to move forward before we meet again? Light accountability with one clear next step. 6️⃣ What support do you need? No guessing plus support can come from anywhere. This works because it’s not about covering everything. It’s about making the time useful. Some weeks you’ll spend most of the 1:1 on one question. And some weeks you might move quickly through a few. Either way, you're having a way better conversation about learning and progress, plus what you both want out of work. If your 1:1s have been feeling a bit *optional* lately, try this next week. And if you know a manager whose 1:1s have quietly turned into calendar clutter, share this with them. #microlearing #managertips #workadvice

Brian Chesky's advice might be right for some CEOs. But here's why it's wrong for managers: Please don't give up your 1-on-1 meetings. They're your highest ROI meetings if you do them right. Unfortunately, most people have a crap map for 1:1s: 🚩They tend to be status updates 🚩They tend to be led top-down 🚩They tend to be canceled If you put garbage in, you should expect garbage out. Instead... ✅ Move status updates to a dashboard ✅ Move ownership to the employee ✅ Move the meeting rarely Now let's refine this meeting by the level of manager. 1️⃣ Front-line or First-time Managers - 60% fail this transition - Expect them to need coaching - Don't burden them with finding ad hoc time 💡Tip: Use the meeting to teach them to optimize their operations. 2️⃣ Managers of Managers - They move from overseeing the work to overseeing managers - Hiring, firing, and development become the focus - Do they lead people or manage work? 💡Tip: Use the meeting to show them how to lead others. 3️⃣ Functional Leadership - Their system is getting increasingly abstract - Their focus is getting increasingly strategic - How far do you want to let them drift? 💡Tip: Use the meeting to offer context and coaching. 4️⃣ Executive Leadership - This is who Chesky is talking about overseeing - They should be able to act as CEO of their area - Most of their work is collaborative and long-term 💡Tip: Use the meeting like a board advises a CEO. Don't bail on your 1-on-1's because it works for a famous CEO. Learn from his thinking to build the system that helps you win. If you found this helpful, please ♻️ repost and follow Dave Kline for more.

If you want to stand out at work, stop treating your 1:1s like a grocery list of completed tasks. 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝟭:𝟭 𝗶𝘀𝗻'𝘁 𝗮 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝘁𝘂𝘀 𝘂𝗽𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗲. It’s your weekly opportunity to shape perception, align on strategy, and make your manager’s life easier — which is exactly what high-growth employees do. If you want to stand out in your next 1:1, try this: 1) Share wins that actually matter.  Not “what you did”, but why it mattered to the team, customers, or company goals. 2) Manage up with solutions (and share your rationale, too) Your job isn’t to dump problems. It’s to walk in with: “Here’s the issue, here’s what I’ve done and why, and here’s my recommended path forward. Do you agree?” 3) Bring one data point every time.  Make the invisible visible. Show how your work ladders up to bigger objectives. Leaders remember numbers. 4) Ask strategic questions, such as: “What’s top of mind for you this week?” “What would make the biggest impact if I prioritized it?” These shift you from executor to strategic partner. 5) Share your priorities.  Then ask: “Does this align with your priorities?” 6) Close with alignment.  Recap commitments on both sides. The shift is simple but powerful:  Stop treating your 1:1 as a task review. Start treating it as a strategy session. It’s one of the easiest places to build your presence right away. Save my Managing Up Cheat Sheet for your next 1:1 and watch how differently you’re perceived. ✨ Do you agree? Talk to me in the comments! * * * * * * 👋 I'm Lorraine—keynote speaker and bestselling author. I help rising leaders build an unforgettable presence and stand out at work. Follow for more actionable career tips! ♻️ Reshare if this resonated with you! 📝 PS: Want other bite-sized tips and strategies to future-proof your career? Join 60,000 others who are subscribed to Career Bites: lorraineklee.com/subscribe

When was the last time you asked yourself: ‘What’s really working and what isn’t?’ Most professionals don’t. They keep moving from one task to the next, mistaking busyness for progress. But here’s the truth I’ve seen in 10+ years of coaching: 👉 Your career doesn’t stall because of lack of effort. 👉 It stalls because of lack of reflection. That’s why I use a structured self-reflection framework every week and I teach my clients to do the same. 🟢 My Reflection Framework 1. Core Purpose Questions (Weekly) ✔ Am I still excited about my end goal? ✔ What did I do this week that moved me closer? ✔ Which activities pulled me away? 2. Growth & Learning Check (Bi-weekly) ✔ What new skills am I building? ✔ Have I challenged my assumptions lately? ✔ Who can I learn from right now? 3. Action & Adjustment (Monthly) ✔ Are my daily habits supporting my vision? ✔ What’s working well that I should double down on? ✔ What’s one thing I need to stop doing? 4. Impact & Connection (Quarterly) ✔ How am I helping others while pursuing my goals? ✔ Who are the key people supporting me? ✔ Which relationships need more attention? 5. Vision Alignment (Every 6 Months) ✔ Does my current path still excite me? ✔ Have my priorities changed? ✔ Do I need to adjust my timeline? I keep these questions in my phone’s notes app. Every week, I revisit them. Every month, I review patterns. Every quarter, I reset my focus. And over the last 3 years, this single habit has helped me: ✨ Stay aligned with my vision ✨ Catch blind spots early ✨ Celebrate progress (even the small wins) ✨ Avoid drifting when things got busy 👉 So, when was the last time you asked yourself the hard questions? P.S. If you want more updated insights, practical strategies, and frameworks like this to stay aligned and accelerate your career. 👉 Join my Career Spotlight Group (link in comments). #Goal #PersonalGrowth #Clarity

Most 1:1s suck—here’s how to fix them (And no, the answer isn’t “more meetings.”) → Stop using 1:1s for task updates—they belong in team meetings. → Focus on two things instead: psychological safety and individual growth. Most 1:1s are a missed opportunity. Instead of driving trust and performance, they become glorified status reports. This isn’t about guesswork. It’s about using a proven framework: My D.U.N.R Blueprint: Diversity – Unity – Norms – Rituals ✅ Rituals → Start with a real check-in: “How are you REALLY?” ✅ Unity → Reframe struggles as signs of growth and interconnectedness. ✅ Diversity → Highlight strengths and potential: “This is an unique value you bring” ✅ Norms → Set clear expectations for communication, risk-taking and ownership. When leaders stop treating 1:1s as status updates and start using them to build trust and growth, teams shift from compliance to commitment—from playing it safe to taking smart risks. I’ve seen this shift transform teams into high-performing powerhouses. How do you use your 1:1s—with a task focus or a growth focus? 🔔 Follow me for more insights on inclusive, high-performing teams. ___________________________________________________ 🌟 If you're new here, hi! :) I’m Susanna. I help companies build an inclusive culture with high-performing and psychologically safe teams.