one-on-one

Overview

Based on "The Manager's Path" by Camille Fournier and "High Output Management" by Andy Grove. Grove's core insight: the 1:1 is the employee's meeting, not the manager's. Its purpose is to surface information the manager would not otherwise get - problems, morale, blockers, aspirations. Fournier adds the career dimension: the 1:1 is where you build the relationship that makes all other conversations (feedback, promotion, hard decisions) possible. A 1:1 that is purely a status update is a wasted hour.

The 1:1 Operating Model

Frequency: Weekly for new reports (first 3-6 months), every 2 weeks for established reports. Never less than monthly. Canceling 1:1s signals they are not a priority - the report reads that signal.

Length: 30 minutes minimum. 45-60 minutes for complex situations, career conversations, or performance discussions.

Owner: The report owns the agenda. The manager owns the follow-through. If the report comes with nothing, that is information - either they don't understand the purpose of 1:1s, or they don't feel safe raising things.

Format: Running shared doc. Both parties add to it before the meeting. History is visible - follow-ups don't fall through gaps.

Workflow

Step 1: Set Up the 1:1 Doc

Create a shared doc with this structure: