Tips for Productive One-On-One Sessions

How I Come Prepared for a 1:1 as a Program Manager at Amazon Most 1:1s are wasted. Vague updates. No agenda. Awkward silence. Then the dreaded…“Anything else?” And you leave thinking, Did we even move anything forward? Here’s how I prep for every 1:1 so it drives clarity, momentum, and trust: 1/ I bring a tight agenda ↳ “3 things: 1 blocker, 1 decision, 1 career check-in” ↳ If I don’t know what I need…why should they? 2/ I come with context ↳ “Here’s the situation, risk, and options…my rec is X” ↳ PMs don’t raise problems. We raise solutions 3/ I flag what’s changed ↳ “Last week we said A…now we’re seeing B” ↳ Keep your manager in the loop before they hear it elsewhere 4/ I ask for perspective ↳ “What’s one thing you’d do differently if you were in my seat?” ↳ Don’t just manage up…learn up 5/ I close with ownership ↳ “Here’s what I’ll do next. Here’s what I need from you.” ↳ Leave with motion, not ambiguity A good 1:1 isn’t a meeting. It’s a leadership accelerator. What’s your #1 rule for making 1:1s useful? ➕ I share tactical operating systems like this weekly: https://lnkd.in/e6qAwEFc

“Winging it” in performance reviews or employee check-in meetings will get you nowhere. I learned this lesson the hard way. In the early stages of Executive Presence, I would hold open-ended, monthly check-ins with each team member, thinking I was being flexible and giving them space to bring up anything they wanted to discuss. I wanted their constructive feedback on the company as much I wanted to offer my own on their performance. But over time, I realized these 1:1 review sessions were not as productive as I thought. People didn’t always know how to use that time effectively. That’s when I worked with my executive coach, Victoria (Tory) Wobber, CPCC, and she gave me a simple but powerful piece of advice: “Give more structure to the conversation in advance.” Instead of a free-for-all, I started framing the discussion with clear, intentional questions - ones that gave my team a chance to reflect before our meeting. These are the questions I started using: 1️⃣ How are you doing outside of work? Anything new? 2️⃣ How are we supporting our clients? Any suggestions for improvement? 3️⃣ How are we functioning as a team? Any feedback or ideas? 4️⃣ Anything else you’d like to discuss? This approach shifted the dynamic. People were able to come to the table with thoughtful responses, and the conversation became more meaningful. I could use my time better, and my team members felt more prepared and empowered to engage. If you're looking for additional tips on making your performance reviews or other 1:1 meetings more meaningful, check out a recent Forbes article combining advice from 20 Forbes Business Council members (see if you can spot me 👋): https://lnkd.in/gyCnHQeX Structured, intentional questions turn scattered check-ins into powerful conversations. Give your team the time and direction to prepare, reflect, and engage deeply.

If your one-on-ones are primarily status updates, you're missing a massive opportunity to build trust, develop talent, and drive real results. After working with countless leadership teams across industries, I've found that the most effective managers approach 1:1s with a fundamentally different mindset... They see these meetings as investments in people, not project tracking sessions. Great 1:1s focus on these three elements: 1. Support: Create space for authentic conversations about challenges, both professional and personal. When people feel safe discussing real obstacles, you can actually help remove them. Questions to try: "What's currently making your job harder than it needs to be?" "Where could you use more support from me?" 2. Growth: Use 1:1s to understand aspirations and build development paths. People who see a future with your team invest more deeply in the present. Questions to explore: "What skills would you like to develop in the next six months?" "What parts of your role energize you most?" 3. Alignment: Help team members connect their daily work to larger purpose and meaning. People work harder when they understand the "why" behind tasks. Questions that create alignment: "How clear is the connection between your work and our team's priorities?" "What part of our mission resonates most with you personally?" By focusing less on immediate work outputs and more on the human doing the work, you'll actually see better performance, retention, and results. Check out my newsletter for more insights here: https://lnkd.in/ei_uQjju #executiverecruiter #eliterecruiter #jobmarket2025 #profoliosai #resume #jobstrategy #leadershipdevelopment #teammanagement

𝗘𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗹𝗲𝗳𝘁 𝗮 𝟭:𝟭 𝗺𝗲𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗲𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂'𝘃𝗲 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘁𝗼-𝗱𝗼 𝗹𝗶𝘀𝘁? You're not alone. Let's transform these sessions from mundane task updates to meaningful career conversations that drive growth and engagement. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗔𝗿𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗘𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝟭:𝟭 𝘀𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀: 𝗕𝗲𝘆𝗼𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗮𝘀𝗸 𝘂𝗽𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀 As a professional who's experienced both sides of the managerial coin, I've come to realize the immense value of well-structured 1:1 sessions between managers and their direct reports. Unfortunately, I've also encountered my fair share of managers who viewed these precious moments as mere task update meetings, missing out on the true potential of these interactions. 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙥𝙤𝙬𝙚𝙧 𝙤𝙛 𝙨𝙢𝙖𝙡𝙡 𝙩𝙖𝙡𝙠 One often overlooked aspect of 1:1 sessions is the importance of small talk. Starting the meeting with a casual conversation about non-work topics can help reduce tension and create a more comfortable atmosphere. This simple act can open the door for more honest and productive discussions. 𝘾𝙡𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙖𝙞𝙧 An effective strategy I've learned is to begin by asking your manager what's at the top of their mind. This approach serves two purposes: it allows your boss to offload any pressing concerns, enabling them to be more present for your discussion, and it gives you valuable insight into their current priorities and challenges. 𝙎𝙚𝙩𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙘𝙡𝙚𝙖𝙧 𝙜𝙤𝙖𝙡𝙨 Each 1:1 session should have a clear purpose. While flexibility is important, having a general theme or goal for the meeting can help guide the conversation and ensure that both parties get value from the interaction. Some key topics to consider include: ✅ Career development: Discuss your long-term aspirations and how your current role aligns with those goals. ✅ Performance: Review recent accomplishments and areas for improvement, focusing on constructive feedback and actionable steps. ✅ Goals and progress: Evaluate your progress towards set objectives and adjust strategies as needed. ✅ Employee engagement and satisfaction: Share your thoughts on your current work environment, team dynamics, and overall job satisfaction. ✅ Skill development: Identify areas where you'd like to grow and discuss potential learning opportunities or projects that could help you acquire new skills. If you find your 1:1s consistently devolving into task updates, don't be afraid to speak up. Suggest a new format or propose specific topics you'd like to discuss. Remember, these sessions are as much for your benefit as they are for your manager's. #CareerDevelopment #EffectiveManagement #1on1Meetings #EmployeeEngagement #ProfessionalGrowth #LeadershipSkills #WorkplaceCommunication

“How do I make my 1:1s with my manager more impactful?” is a question I commonly get from mentees. Too often, these meetings become simply a reporting of activities completed in the previous week. As one mentee jokingly shared, it can sometimes feel like telling your parents what you did at school that day. 😄 That’s not quite the best use of time for either you or your manager, even though keeping your manager informed *is* important. So how do you achieve the goal of sharing information but also balancing it out with some strategic discussions? Try the PPP framework, which I learned from the brilliant Brinda Mehta Malvi. PPP stands for: - Plans and priorities for the week - Progress and highlights from last week - Problems and open Qs or roadblocks you anticipate or might need help with. This allows for you and your manager to align on priorities for the week ahead. You can surface any highlights and wins for their awareness. And it allows you both to proactively talk through any future risks. Now your 1:1 goes from one-way reporting to rich discussions at a more strategic level. It’s win-win for both of you. If you give it a try, will you let me know if it helps? #leadership #1on1