Make The Most Of Your One-On-Ones
One-on-one meetings are one of the most powerful tools for building a relationship between a manager and a direct report. When used well, they build trust, surface opportunities, clarify priorities, and support career growth. But when they’re rushed, inconsistent, or overly tactical they become just another meeting on the calendar.
According to Gallup, managers drive 70% of the variance in team engagement and make or break the employee experience. That means your manager has the highest impact on how you feel about your work, and the 1:1 is the cornerstone of the relationship between a manager and their direct report.
Most folks aren’t trained on how to how to conduct a productive one-on-one, though, so in this episode we discuss practical and actionable tools for:
Setting expectations for 1:1s
Prepping for the meeting
Understanding what a successful 1:1 meeting look like
How to organize 1:1s
Building your relationship within these meetings
When done well, 1:1s are one of the most important places where trust is built between managers and direct reports. Without consistent facetime, whether virtual or in person, you lose the chance to pick up on what’s not being said. It’s in these meetings that you learn to read between the lines, uncover the real priorities or anxieties driving what’s being discussed on the surface.
If you’ve been canceling 1:1s often, or if they’re starting to feel like just another meeting on the calendar without much value, this episode of The Glass Sessions podcast is for you.
Actionable Tips and Takeaways:
Set clear expectations up front
Establish a regular cadence for your 1:1s with your manager, and protect that time - resist the temptation to ask to cancel. Align on the purpose of the meeting and how you’ll use the time together. A consistent rhythm builds trust and makes the 1:1s a reliable tool for progress, not just a calendar placeholder.
Add to the agenda throughout the week
Add agenda items throughout the week - after client calls, team meetings or internal updates. Add any items that aren’t time sensitive and ensure important topics don’t fall through the cracks. Before each meeting, block 10-15 minutes to review your agenda, reflect on recent conversations and note any updates or next steps from prior 1:1s.
Share your business insights
Use your 1:1 to bring forward what you’re noticing in the business - trends, blockers, client feedback or opportunities. These conversations deepen your manager’s trust in your judgment and create alignment on how you can add the most impact.
If 1:1s aren’t happening or aren’t working, take the lead
You don’t have to wait for your manager to initiate. Reach out and propose a short sync to align on how you’re meeting (or not meeting) regularly. Share where you’re making impact, where you’re feeling blocked and your desire to stay aligned on priorities. Suggest a recurring meeting time and propose a simple agenda format to get started.
Watch Out For Common Pitfalls:
No clear next steps: Great conversations are only useful if they lead to action. Before ending the meeting, confirm who’s doing what and by when.
Lack of follow-through: Without documentation, decisions can get lost. Jot down notes or key outcomes from each 1:1 - even a quick shared document update or email recap goes a long way in keeping momentum and accountability clear.
Tips For Managers:
Use a shared agenda and set expectations early
You can use The Glass Advisory’s 1:1 Agenda as a starting point. Set the tone that the 1:1 is a working space - both you and your direct report should bring agenda topics.
Make it clear that the goal is to:
Clear roadblocks
Reflect on challenges
Recognize wins
Talk through messy or in-progress thinking - they don’t need to have everything figured out to bring it up
Document and follow through
Capture next steps at the end of each meeting and assign owners. Review past agendas before each new 1:1 to ensure follow-up, especially on items you committed to.
Add a “Mood Check” to the agenda
Include a line such as: “A word that describes how I’m feeling today:” This helps you get a quick pulse check and notice patterns over time. For example, “I’ve noticed you’ve described feeling frustrated the last three weeks. Can we talk more about what’s going on? I’d love to help you find a path forward.”
Ask pattern disrupting questions
Open space for new insights or unspoken concerns by asking: “Is there something you’ve been wanting to bring up that we haven’t talked about yet?” or “What’s something that’s been on your mind lately?”
Be flexible with the structure
Start with a standard format, but check in periodically: “Is the way we’re using this time helpful?”, “Would you like to approach these meetings differently going forward?” If you find you’re talking more than your direct report, pause and recalibrate.
Support career growth beyond weekly check-ins
Schedule quarterly Career Check-In meetings in addition to weekly 1:1s. Document professional goals (this can be in your HR system or a simple shared Google Doc.) Use these to track progress, reflect on growth and identify new development opportunities.
Recognize their wins regularly
Use 1:1 time to highlight recent contributions or moments of leadership. This builds confidence and reinforces what’s working.
The Bottom Line:
Whether you’re a manager or an individual contributor, one-on-one meetings aren’t just a recurring time slot - they’re one of the most powerful tools you have to drive clarity, build trust, and move meaningful work forward. With intentional structure, honest conversation, and follow-through, your 1:1s can become a space for real growth, for both the business and the people inside it.
At The Glass Advisory, we help leaders and teams make the most of these conversations. If your 1:1s are falling flat or you’re ready to level up how you lead (or show up to) them, we’d love to support you.
Listen to the full episode of The Glass Sessions for real examples, practical frameworks, and tools you can start using this week.
Or, if you're ready for hands-on support - whether as a manager or a team member - reach out to work with us one-on-one.
Let’s make the time you’re already spending really count.
