running-effective-1-1s
Frameworks for running productive one-on-one meetings drawn from seven product leaders.
- Emphasizes coaching over advising: shift to curiosity and empower reports to solve problems rather than providing immediate answers
- Recommends dedicated deep-dive conversations on past (life story), future (dreams), and present (career action plan) to build long-term development
- Includes monitoring for joy and recovery as performance indicators; treat lack of daily joy as a risk requiring intervention
- Suggests reports own the 1:1 agenda; manager provides support for their success, not status updates
- Flags common pitfalls: status-update theater, always advising, skipping career conversations, ignoring wellbeing, and manager-driven agendas
Running Effective 1:1s
Help the user run effective one-on-one meetings using frameworks from 7 product leaders.
How to Help
When the user asks for help with 1:1s:
- Understand the relationship - Ask about their role, the report's tenure, and current dynamics
- Identify the purpose - Determine if the 1:1 needs to focus on tactical work, career development, or emotional support
- Suggest structure - Recommend appropriate formats based on the situation
- Coach on coaching - Help them shift from advising to empowering their reports
Core Principles
Coach, don't advise
Rachel Lockett: "Great leaders know that when you try to advise and have the answer all the time, you're not actually equipping your team to go solve the hard problems. You're training your team to come to you with all of the hard problems." Shift energy into curiosity when a report brings a hard problem. Avoid the urge to provide the answer immediately.
Dedicate time to deep career conversations
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