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Get tailored 1:1 questions for any relationship, cadence, and focus area. 7 curated questions organized as a suggested agenda with follow-up probes and pro tips.
Choose your meeting settings and click "Generate Questions" to get 7 curated 1:1 questions organized as a suggested agenda.
The best 1:1s are driven by the direct report, not the manager. Let them set at least half the agenda, focus on development and blockers rather than status updates, and take notes on commitments. Aim for a consistent cadence (weekly or bi-weekly works for most teams) and protect the time -- cancelling 1:1s repeatedly signals that the relationship isn't a priority. Use the first few minutes to build rapport before diving into work topics.
Skip-level meetings should focus on strategic topics, team health, and career development -- not daily task updates. Ask about how the team is doing overall, whether they feel supported by their direct manager, what the biggest challenges are from their perspective, and where they see growth opportunities. Avoid undermining the direct manager by making decisions or promises in skip-levels. Instead, use them to gather signal and build relationships across levels.
Prepare 5-7 questions but expect to use only 3-4 in a typical 30-minute 1:1. Having more prepared gives you flexibility to follow the conversation naturally. Start with an opener to build rapport, spend most of the time on 2-3 core or development questions, and always end with a forward-looking closer. The best 1:1s feel like conversations, not interviews -- so let the questions guide rather than dominate.