1:1s with Team Members

It can be a misconception, especially among those new to management, that a 1:1 is not an important meeting. Experienced managers know that 1:1s with their reports should be the most important meeting on their calendars. It allows managers to build trust with their reports and to lay the groundwork for productive and fulfilling working relations.

The primary purpose of a 1:1 shouldn't be to get status updates, technical discussions, or some debugging session. Consider it the team member's time and encourage them to talk about anything they like during this conversation.

A manager's responsibility during this conversation is to ask direct and indirect questions that allow them to understand the team members' needs and alignment with their work. This will enable the manager to gauge whether or not the team member is happy with their work. Performance management and growth opportunities are also important topics to cover during a 1:1 meeting.

What is your philosophy and framework around 1:1s?

This is a typical question regarding 1:1s and can be asked in variations like:

• What do you think is an ideal 1:1 with your report?

• What is your typical 1:1 like?

Let's look at how to approach such questions.

Evaluation criteria

Before answering these questions, it is important to understand the expectations of the interviewer and their evaluation criteria. With such questions, the interviewer is trying to evaluate the following:

• Whether or not the candidate understands the importance of 1:1s.

• Whether or not the candidate can adapt their management style for individual team members. Managers should not define themselves as either a "micro-manager" or a "macro manager" but should adjust themselves according to the individual member’s needs.

• Whether or not the candidate discusses performance management and growth plans in the 1:1s.

• Whether or not the ...