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HR & people1:1 & people

Manager one-on-one with a direct report

25 minutes 5 blocks Free template

A weekly 25-minute 1:1 run for the direct report: their items first, then the manager's, a growth topic, and commitments.

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Opens in the builder. No sign-up to try it; 14 days free to run it live.

By the end of this meetingThe direct report's roadblocks are addressed, both sides' items are covered and commitments are recapped.

25 min · 5 blocks, drawn to scale Fits exactly
  1. How are you? How can I help?, 2 minutes 2
  2. Direct report's items, from the shared list, 10 minutesDiscuss 10
  3. Manager's items, flagged beforehand, 5 minutesDiscuss 5
  4. Growth and longer-horizon topic, 4 minutesDiscuss 4
  5. Recap and commitments, 4 minutesWrap-up 4
06131925 min
  1. +0′How are you? How can I help?One word for how your week is going?2 minCheck-in
  2. +2′Direct report's items, from the shared listTip: Let them lead; resist turning it into a status update.10 minDiscuss
  3. +12′Manager's items, flagged beforehand5 minDiscuss
  4. +17′Growth and longer-horizon topicTip: Not every week; bring career topics in periodically.4 minDiscuss
  5. +21′Recap and commitments4 minWrap-up

Why it works

Built so the manager one-on-one with a direct report ends on time, with everyone in it.

  • Every voice in the first minutes

    A 2-minute check-in: everyone sends a mood and one word from their phone, and it shows on their tile in the call. People who speak early speak again.

  • Discussion with a clock

    19 minutes of open floor with a countdown everyone can see, and a talk-balance meter so the loudest voice doesn't take all of it.

  • Wraps up on time

    Decisions and actions are read back, the summary is already written, and a finish on time earns the confetti.

How to run it

  1. 1Meet weekly for 20 to 25 minutes, or every two weeks for about 45, and avoid cancelling.
  2. 2Keep a shared running list and have the direct report create or co-create the agenda.
  3. 3Take their items first; the manager listens more than talks.
  4. 4Flag your own items beforehand so they're not a surprise.
  5. 5Raise career topics periodically and end every meeting with a recap and commitments.

Questions about the manager one-on-one with a direct report

How long and how often should one-on-ones be?
Steven Rogelberg suggests weekly meetings of 20 to 25 minutes, or biweekly meetings of about 45 minutes, with weekly being best. Monthly cadence suffers from recency bias.
Who should set the one-on-one agenda?
The direct report. Rogelberg says the strongest predictor of a good one-on-one is the direct report creating or co-creating the agenda.
What are common one-on-one mistakes?
Falling into the status update trap, frequent cancellations, the manager doing most of the talking, and ending without a recap or commitments.

Built from

The structure, timings and tips on this page come from these sources.

  • hbr.org

Run it with your team

  • A countdown for every block on the shared screen
  • A video call that changes with each block
  • Check-ins and votes from every phone, no app
  • Decisions and actions in a scored summary

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