All Notes

1:1s with your manager

This post is a note to self, and advice for those who have a manager.

  1. Own the agenda: Think of 1:1s as your time on the manager’s calendar where you can have an uninterrupted conversation. Without an agenda, 1:1s usually go in all directions and end up becoming just another meeting that is frequently canceled or rescheduled. The easiest way is to maintain a shared document and keep adding things you want to discuss with your manager. Actively prioritize the list to discuss important items first.

  2. Don’t make it a status update: 1:1s are a place to understand each other and make sure your goals align with the goals of your manager; and vice-versa. Most 1:1s are scheduled monthly, which is also an awfully long wait to share an update. Keep updates frequent and separate from 1:1s.

  3. Talk about your growth: It’s a good time to ask for feedback on areas you can improve on. Work with your manager on a plan to help you grow in those areas. If you discuss this actively, when the right project comes around, you’ll be on their mind.

  4. Share what is troubling you: I don’t mean complain, nobody likes a nag. Share how you felt about a recent organizational change or the way things are going at work. Managers will usually be happy to hear an honest opinion and help make things better. They can’t solve something they don’t know.

  5. Ask your manager about their problems and how you can contribute: Your manager is likely dealing with more complex problems. By asking and offering to help with those problems, you will a) get exposed to a different facet of the business than you usually would, and b) get practice dealing with things that will form the foundation of your next role.

  6. Take shared notes: It’s easy to forget a month-old meeting, so take note of important things that get discussed. This will also help you reflect and evaluate if you are making progress.

  7. Make it actionable: Take note of action items for both of you. That avoids miscommunication and makes it easy to track a list of things to work on. Both Lattice and Google Docs are great places to track this.