You block 30 minutes for a 1:1, open a blank doc five minutes before, and end up asking "so, how's it going?" The meeting turns into a status update, or worse, gets cancelled because neither of you had anything prepped.
The fix isn't a longer meeting. It's a template that tells you what to actually talk about, so the conversation goes somewhere instead of in circles. Here are four you can copy today, depending on the cadence.
Weekly 1:1 Template
Keep this one short — 15 to 30 minutes, focused on the week in front of you.
- Wins: What went well since last time?
- Blockers: What's stuck, and what do you need from me?
- Priorities: What are you focused on this week?
- Anything else: Leave space for whatever's actually on their mind — this is the question that matters most.
Monthly 1:1 Template
Zoom out from the week-to-week and talk about trajectory.
- Progress on goals: Where do things stand against what you set last month?
- Skill development: What's one thing you want to get better at?
- Feedback both ways: What's working about how we're working together? What isn't?
- Support needed: What would make the next month easier?
Quarterly 1:1 Template
This is the career conversation — treat it differently from a status check.
- Quarter in review: What are you proudest of? What would you do differently?
- Career direction: Where do you want to be in a year? Two years?
- Gaps to close: What skills or experience would get you there?
- Next quarter's focus: What are the two or three things that matter most?
Record of Discussion Template
Use this after a conversation that needs a paper trail — a performance concern, a difficult feedback exchange, or anything you'll want to reference later.
- Date and attendees
- What was discussed: A factual summary, not an interpretation.
- Agreed next steps: Specific, with owners and dates.
- Follow-up date: When you'll check back in on progress.
Making Templates Actually Stick
A template only works if you use it before the meeting, not during it. Ask your report to fill in their side ahead of time — it turns the meeting from an interrogation into a conversation you're both prepared for.
If you want more on running these well once you've got the structure down, we've written about how to improve your 1:1 meetings — the templates here are the "what to ask," that post is the "how to run it."
And if you're tired of digging through Slack and old notes to remember what you covered last time, WorkStory MCP can pull together everything relevant for your next 1:1 automatically, so you walk in prepared without the prep work.
FAQ
How long should a 1:1 meeting be?
Weekly 1:1s work well at 15-30 minutes. Monthly and quarterly conversations need more room — 30-45 minutes — since they cover career direction and development, not just this week's tasks.
Should employees prepare for 1:1s in advance?
Yes — sharing the template ahead of time and asking your report to fill in their side turns the meeting into a real conversation instead of you asking questions cold.
What's the difference between a 1:1 template and a record of discussion?
A 1:1 template structures a regular check-in conversation. A record of discussion documents what was actually said and agreed to — it's for conversations you'll need to reference later, like a performance concern.
