Prompts for your 1:1s

1:1s can be the most helpful and important meetings you go to. They can also be an anxiety inducing ball of pointlessness. Sometimes there’s not much you can do to deal with a terrible manager except for move teams or jobs. But most managers aren’t great, or terrible. Most managers are… fine.

When your manager is fine, you can push 1:1s towards helpful conversations by going into 1:1s prepared to talk about the right things. Things that will accelerate your growth, push your career forward and make you happier at work.

So here are some prompts to think about in advance of your 1:1s to help give you ideas of what you want to talk about other than a weekly update on projects or the weather. Look through them all and find which one peaks your interest, or pick a different one at random each week.

Type I: This Week

• What did you find hardest this week?

• What was the most fun you had this week?

• What percentage of your time did you spend doing work you enjoy?

Type II: This Year

• Are you excited by the projects on your plate?

• Is your work/life balance where you want it to be or where you think it has to be.

• If you could change one thing about your work life, no matter how impractical, what would it be?

Type III: This Life

• What is important to you in life? Making an impact in your field? Spending time with your kids? Retiring early? Spending time on your hobbies? Starting a business?

• Do you feel like you’re making progress on your goals?

• What would you be doing if you didn’t need the money?