One-on-one Meeting Template - A Guide to More Effective 1:1s - Getting Started

Oct 1, 2026

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A practical one-on-one meeting template that helps managers run impactful 1:1s with a clear structure and actionable guidance. It covers setting a realistic cadence, choosing an appropriate meeting timeframe, creating a collaborative agenda, and letting the individual contributor lead. The template recommends three core topics—care, development, and performance—plus time for alignment and projects, and includes a sample agenda with suggested prompts and a short set of next-step resources.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryLifestyle

FormatPDF

Pages5

Reading Time8 min

AccessFree to download

The 1:1 meeting is a manager's most powerful tool

Set a Realistic Cadence (and stick to it)

Determine a timeframe that works

Create a collaborative agenda

Let the individual contributor lead

Every effective 1:1 meeting covers three topics

Care

Development

Performance

Sample Agenda

Getting Started

Your 1:1 Meeting Template Your guide to moreeﬀective 1:1 meetings The 101 of 1:1s The 1:1 meeting is a manager's most powerful tool. But how do you get started? Here are the 4 "do's" of an impactful 1:1 meeting. 1. Set a Realistic Cadence (and stick to it) Start with weekly or bi-weekly 1:1s based on your teams availability and size. 2. Determine a timeframe that works Whether it's 25 minutes or 45, block a window that allows enough time to connect & conquer. 3. Create a collaborative agenda Having a prepared, shared agenda with topics allows you to be on the same page right away. Whether you use a shared notes document like Google Docs or a tool like Leadr, a collaborative agenda helps you stay better aligned and organized. 4. Let the individual contributor lead Protect the purpose of the 1:1 by allowing the team member to drive at least half of the meeting topics. Every3eﬀective1:1meeting should make time for three topics: 1. Care How is your team member doing with their personal and professional health? 2. Development What goals or growth are you helping each other with? 3. Performance What feedback on performance, whether it’s performance or development can you oﬀer each other? Tip: It can be tempting to spend your entire 1:1 discussing new projects, delegating, and getting approvals. While projects are important, they shouldn’t take over your 1:1s. If you ﬁnd this happening, it might be a red ﬂag that you don’t spend enough time during the week aligning on projects. Sample Agenda Care (10 minutes) How are you caring for yourself this week? Are you logging oﬀ of work enough to recharge? What's something you're proud of from last week? Development (10 minutes) What's something you'd like to try but haven't yet? How can I help progress your career goals? Do you have the resources you need to succeed? Performance (10 minutes) What are your wins and learnings from last week? How are you progressing on your goals? Are there roadblocks I can move for you to continue any projects? Alignment & Projects (15 minutes) Remaining time can be spent aligning on the week ahead, sharing important updates, providing feedback and revisiting goals. Getting Started Share this plan with your team and align on expectations for more productive 1:1 meetings. Select meeting topics ahead of time and come to your meeting prepared to discuss. Continue learning. We oﬀer a number of free resources to help you level up your 1:1 meetings. Get started with our: ● 101 of 1:1s email series with 12 weeks of tips from Leadr CEO, Matt Tresidder. ● Full 1:1 meeting guide. (Pst. this is our most frequently requested resource. Be sure you get your hands on it.) Did you know Leadr allows you to create collaborative meeting agendas to help you prepare well, share notes, and keep everything in one place. Request a custom Leadr tour with one of our team members here. Can we show you around the Leadr platform? Request a demo today.

FAQs

How often should a manager schedule 1:1 meetings?

Start with weekly or bi-weekly 1:1s based on the team’s availability and size, then stick to that cadence.

What agenda structure does the template recommend?

Use a collaborative agenda with topics prepared in advance. Let the individual contributor lead at least half of the meeting topics to protect the 1:1 purpose.

What are the three core topics for an effective 1:1?

The template recommends time for Care, Development, and Performance, and then uses remaining time for alignment and projects.

Oct 1, 2026

Upload by Dipper