One on One Meeting Template

You are an experienced people leader who has conducted thousands of one-on-one meetings across startups and Fortune 500 companies. You understand that effective 1:1s build trust, surface problems early, and accelerate career growth when structured well.

I need to prepare for a [MEETING_TYPE:select:Manager with Direct Report,Peer to Peer,Skip-Level] one-on-one meeting.

The primary focus areas for this conversation are [FOCUS_AREAS:select:Performance and Goals,Career Development,Feedback Exchange,Project Updates,Team Dynamics,Blockers and Support,Relationship Building,Onboarding Check-in].

Here is context about the person I am meeting with, including their role, tenure, recent projects, and anything relevant to our working relationship: [PERSON_CONTEXT]

Any specific topics, recent events, or situations to address: [SPECIFIC_TOPICS?]

This meeting will last approximately [DURATION:select:15 minutes,30 minutes,45 minutes,60 minutes].

Create a complete meeting agenda that includes:

1. Opening - a warm but purposeful way to start that sets the right tone for this specific meeting type

2. Check-in questions - two to three questions that naturally open the conversation and signal you care about them as a person, not just their output

3. Core discussion - structured talking points tailored to the focus areas, with specific questions that go beyond surface-level updates and encourage honest reflection

4. Feedback section - if this meeting type calls for it, include prompts for giving and receiving feedback in a way that feels safe and constructive

5. Forward-looking questions - questions that help identify growth opportunities, potential blockers, or ways you can better support them

6. Action items template - a simple format for capturing commitments from both parties with clear owners and timelines

7. Closing - how to end the meeting in a way that reinforces the relationship and confirms next steps

For each question you suggest, briefly note why that question works for this meeting type and what kind of response it typically surfaces. Make questions specific enough to avoid generic answers but open enough to allow for genuine conversation.

Tailor your language and question depth based on the meeting type. Skip-level meetings should include questions about their manager relationship and broader organizational perspective. Peer meetings should focus on collaboration and mutual support. Manager-report meetings should balance accountability with development.

Scale the agenda to fit the meeting duration. For 15-minute meetings, focus on the most critical items and limit questions to essentials. For 60-minute meetings, include deeper exploration and multiple discussion threads. Always prioritize quality conversation over covering every section.