Tips for Maximizing Team Member Growth in 1:1s

Most 1:1s are just status updates in disguise. If that's what yours are, your team is telling you less than they should.   A 1:1 isn't a progress report. It's a conversation. And the quality of that conversation starts with the quality of your questions. Here are 12 I teach leaders: 1️⃣ Where do you think your skills are being underused? Underutilized people become disengaged people. Action: Find one way to close that gap before your next 1:1. 2️⃣ How do you want your career to look in the next year? Career conversations belong in all 1:1s. Action: Make a commitment to their development in the meeting. 3️⃣ What opportunity do you think you aren't being given enough access to? High performers who feel unseen start looking elsewhere. Action: If you can open that door, open it. If you cannot, say why honestly. 4️⃣ Where do you think the team's biggest blind spot is? The people closest to the work can see what leadership often cannot. Action: Take it seriously even when it's uncomfortable. 5️⃣ What does a bad day at work look like for you? Recurring bad days are a system's problem. Action: Look for patterns. Then address the root. 6️⃣ Is there a relationship on the team you find difficult to navigate? This opens doors people rarely open alone. Action: Listen before you problem-solve. 7️⃣ What's something you have changed your mind about in the last 6 months? Growth shows up in updated thinking. Action: A person who can change their mind is a person who can lead through change. 8️⃣ Where do you feel most confident in your role right now? Confidence tells you where to give them more runway. Action: Stretch it into a bigger opportunity. 9️⃣ What part of your role feels unclear or undefined? Ambiguity is a performance tax you're charging them. Action: Clarify it before the meeting ends. 🔟 What skill do you want to develop in the next 6 months? Growth should be intentional. Action: Build it into their work before you leave the room. 1️⃣1️⃣ What's one thing I do as your leader that makes your job harder? Most leaders never ask this. The ones who do earn trust that lasts. Action: Don't justify or defend. Just listen and then change. 1️⃣2️⃣ What's one goal you have that has nothing to do with work? People grow in all directions. The best leaders acknowledge that. Action: Ask how their work can support that goal. The quality of your questions is a reflection of the quality of your leadership. When you get curious about your people, not just their work, everything changes. So save this list and bring it into your next 1:1. Your team will feel the difference. Which of these do you find hardest to ask? Every day inside The Leadership Boardroom, I share free leadership coaching for VP and C-suite leaders. Thousands of leaders around the world are already inside. 👉 https://lnkd.in/g2WGzder ♻️ Repost this for leaders who need better 1:1 questions. And follow me, Cicely Simpson, for daily leadership insights.

Your next 1-on-1 is either building trust or breaking it. Most managers treat them like status updates. Most employees see them as obligations. After years of leading teams through growth and crisis, I've learned the truth: The best 1-on-1s aren't meetings. They're investments in human potential. When done right, these 30 minutes can transform: • Disengaged employees into champions • Surface problems become solutions • Good performers into great leaders Here's how to make every 1-on-1 count: For Managers: 1/ Start human, not tactical "What's on your mind?" beats "What's your update?" every time. Let them drive the agenda first. 2/ Listen like your success depends on it Because it does. Their challenges are your early warning system. Their wins are your team's momentum. 3/ Ask the question that matters "What support do you need?" Then actually provide it. Trust compounds when promises are kept. For Employees: 1/ Come with intention This is your time. Own it. Bring your real challenges, not just safe updates. 2/ Share what's actually blocking you Your manager can't fix what they can't see. But come with potential solutions too. It shows you're thinking, not just venting. 3/ Talk about tomorrow, not just today Where do you want to grow? What skills are you building? Make your development their priority. Great 1-on-1s don't just review work. They build relationships. They surface insights. They prevent fires instead of fighting them. The game-changer most miss: End every 1-on-1 with absolute clarity: 📌 What are the next steps? 📌 Who owns what? 📌 When will we check progress? Vague endings create frustrated teams. Your people don't need another meeting. They need a moment where someone truly sees them, hears them, and helps them win. Give them that, and watch what happens. What's one thing that transformed your 1-on-1s? ♻️ Repost if this changes how you approach 1-on-1s Follow Desiree Gruber for more insights on storytelling, leadership, and brand building.

Motivation doesn’t disappear overnight, it fades quietly. And if you don’t address it early, it spreads. At first, you see it in the little things: 🟠 Less initiative 🟠 Missed deadlines 🟠 Emotional withdrawal 🟠 Disengagement from team dynamics But soon it spreads to the team, to the quality of work, and ultimately to your culture. So what do you do when motivation drops? Here’s what NOT to do: ❌ Don’t wait until the next performance review ❌ Don’t assume “they’ll bounce back” on their own ❌ Don’t focus only on results Instead, step in early and lead like a coach. 1️⃣ 𝐂𝐡𝐞𝐜𝐤 𝐢𝐧 𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐲, 𝐫𝐞𝐠𝐮𝐥𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐲, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐢𝐧𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 Motivation issues often hide behind silence. ✅ Make time for short, open-ended 1:1s. ✅ Ask questions like: → How are things feeling for you right now? → What’s been energising you lately? What’s been draining you? → Is anything blocking you from doing your best work? ✅ Listening with curiosity is your best diagnostic tool. 2️⃣ 𝐂𝐥𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐟𝐲 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 & 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐩𝐮𝐫𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐞 Low motivation often comes from confusion or disconnection. ✅ Remind your team member: → What they’re responsible for → Why their role matters → How their work fits into the bigger picture Recognition helps too. Not just for results, but for effort, ideas, and attitude. Sometimes a simple “what you did really helped us move forward” makes a big difference. 3️⃣ 𝐂𝐨-𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐚 𝐝𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐩𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐧 If motivation is dipping, help your team member find a new sense of direction. ✅ Ask: → What do you want to grow into this year? → What skills do you want to sharpen? → What project would stretch or excite you? ✅ Then map it out together. Add structure. Make it real. This turns passivity into progress. 4️⃣ 𝐅𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰 𝐮𝐩 — 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐝𝐨𝐧’𝐭 𝐥𝐞𝐭 𝐠𝐨! Motivation recovery isn’t instant. ✅ Track progress. Stay connected. ✅ Keep the conversation open. ✅ If the issue persists and starts impacting the team, don’t avoid it → escalate responsibly. But in most cases, what people need is to feel seen, supported, and reconnected. Motivation is not a fixed trait. It’s a signal. And like any signal, it can guide you, if you’re listening 😉 . -- I’m Anne Caron and I help founders and leaders scale their team without losing their soul. I share real-world insights on people strategy, leadership, and building organisations that actually work, for both the business and the humans in it! 👉 Follow me for practical, experience-backed content on scaling consciously, leading intentionally, and building the culture you want from day one. #Leadership #PeopleManagement #Motivation #TeamPerformance #PeopleStrategy #ManagerExcellence #FromZeroTo1000

Feedback I love to hear...... "Tim, you're boring" "Your slides are shit Tim" "Instead of always saying 'I think....', use 'can I suggest....'" "Why are YOU doing that Tim? Haven't you got a Team who are supposed to do that?" "You need to trust your Team Tim" "I am sick of talking to the back of your head Tim" All real feedback that I received as a leader & all of it helped me to change. Some of it might sound harsh. They are all very honest! And all were delivered in a way that spoke to me & related to the development I needed to address. The people who gave me this feedback led by example & knew that I could be told straight so that's what they did for me. They built a relationship with me which meant we trusted each other & nothing was left unsaid. The post-it note image is a reconstruction of feedback that a Leadership peer gave me at a time when I was allowing my anxiety & stress to show up in my behaviours. They knew I would take in the spirit intended & also knew that I would be disappointed in how I was coming across. And they trusted me to do something about it. Which I did. Here’s how you can make feedback actually land & get more honest feedback in return: In your 1:1s Ask: “What’s one thing I do that helps you & one thing that gets in your way?” Don’t defend it. Don’t explain it. Just say “thank you." & follow up next time to show you actually acted on it. In your team meetings Start with a quick “Feedback Round.” Everyone shares one positive thing they’ve seen from a peer that week. Then ask: “What’s one behaviour we need to stop or improve as a team?” Model it yourself first; own something you need to change before asking others to. And when you’re giving feedback Be specific; talk about behaviours & impact, not personality. Ask open questions: “How do you see it?”, “What will you do differently next time?” Check understanding: “What are you taking from this conversation?” Because real feedback doesn’t bruise egos; it builds better leaders. You just have to create the environment where it’s safe to be honest. That is done by Leading by Example NOT by Job Title. 1️⃣ Who in your team do you owe some honest feedback to? 2️⃣ When was the last time you actually asked for honest feedback & meant it? #ItAlwaysStartsWithYou #AuthenticLeadership #LeadershipDevelopment

Through my Engineering Success Podcast at DevDynamics and working closely with engineering leaders, I’ve had the chance to speak with 200+ Tech leaders and CTOs from growth-stage startups. The way they approach 1:1s is nothing like the “textbook” method, and it’s brilliant. Here’s what I learned about their approach: 1️⃣ The “Look Back, Look Ahead” Format Instead of getting into daily updates, they dedicate time to two specific areas: Look Back: Recap the past month’s challenges, progress, and any learning moments. Look Ahead: Discuss upcoming milestones, skill growth, and their engineer’s long-term goals. 2️⃣ Less Status Updates, More “Personal Growth Talk” They avoid project check-ins here, that’s for team meetings. 1:1s are about the engineer’s growth path. What tools will get them closer to the next level? What’s slowing them down? The focus shifts from “What did you do?” to “Where are you headed?” 3️⃣ Scheduled “Unstructured” Time One of the best hacks? They allocate 10 minutes at the end of each 1:1 for any topic their engineer wants to discuss, work or otherwise. This time often reveals insights that structured agendas miss. 4️⃣ Customized to Personality Type Introverts prefer reflecting on paper, while extroverts benefit from free-flow discussions. They’ve even adjusted frequency based on personality, some engineers have monthly check-ins, others bi-weekly. 5️⃣ Follow-Up Through Actions Set follow-ups in the calendar. If a challenge was discussed, they’ll check in again in two weeks, turning words into measurable steps. Every 1:1 becomes a little system in itself, and it’s working for some of the besting performing teams. Have you tried any of these approaches? P.S. Do check the latest episode of the engineering success podcast with Pranabjyoti Bordoloi from Junglee Games. P.S. 2 - Unrelated photo - someone said photos work better on Linkedin

Why I Broke Up with Weekly 1-1s ? When I transitioned into a leadership role at Microsoft Dynamics CRM, I embraced weekly 1-1s like everyone else. It seemed essential—a place to align, mentor, and build connections. But over time, I noticed something unsettling. These meetings became repetitive. Status updates dominated, deeper conversations got sidelined, and team-wide alignment wasn’t improving. My gut told me I was solving the wrong problems in the wrong forum. So, I made a bold decision: I completely reimagined how I approached 1-1s. Here’s what I changed and learned: 1) Transparency Beats Isolation I shifted project discussions out of 1-1s and into team settings. Instead of solving issues privately, we addressed them collectively. This made expectations clearer, improved collaboration, and turned “my problem” into “our solution.” 2) 1-1s Are for Depth, Not Updates When I stopped using 1-1s for operational check-ins, they became spaces for meaningful conversations—personal growth, career goals, and feedback. Instead of weekly sessions, monthly deep dives worked better. Ad hoc chats filled the gaps when needed. 3) Connection Happens Daily, Not Just in Meetings If 1-1s are your only relationship-building tool, something’s missing. Real connection happens in the flow of work—joining team discussions, being present during problem-solving, or simply checking in informally. The result? My team gained clarity, took ownership, and grew closer. We didn’t just save time—we built trust. Ask yourself: Are your 1-1s helping your team grow, or are they just a box you check every week? How do you approach 1-1s in your role? Let’s discuss what works for you. #Leadership #TeamManagement #Rethinking1on1s

The worst 1:1 tip that I ever learned? It took me years to unlearn. The advice? 𝗠𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗶𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝗺𝗲𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴. Them: “Hey, I don’t have anything to discuss today, can we skip our 1:1 today?” Me: “Sure, it’s your meeting!” 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝘀𝘁. 𝗔𝗱𝘃𝗶𝗰𝗲. 𝗘𝘃𝗲𝗿. One on one meetings are not “their meeting”. One on one meetings are about 𝗯𝗼𝘁𝗵 of us. It’s about two human beings who need to collaborate at work. It’s not about one person or the other, it’s about the 𝗿𝗲𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽. The basis of every human relationship is 𝗧𝗿𝘂𝘀𝘁. • Show up on time. Every time. • Get to know their strengths, needs, and peculiarities. • Open up and 𝘀𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗳𝗮𝗶𝗹𝗲𝗱 and how you learned. • 𝗕𝗲 𝗱𝗲𝗽𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲. Follow up and follow through. Every time. • Ask them to prepare their own agenda. • But make sure you 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗱 as well. • Share feedback and context and information and connections. • Ask for feedback about yourself, their peers, the team, and the company. • Be there for them. • 𝗣𝘂𝘀𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺. Help them be the best version of themselves. It’s trendy to dismiss 1:1 meetings. Because it’s easy to have crappy 1:1s. You can do better. Demand more from them. Demand more from yourself.

Employees don’t grow from annual reviews. They grow from consistent feedback. Most managers delay hard conversations because they do not want to be the critic. But when feedback only shows up once a year, it feels like judgment. Hard conversations get delayed. Notes pile up. And then everything lands at once. That is not development. That is overwhelm. Employees want feedback when it is consistent and clearly rooted in support. The key is building it into your routine, not saving it for performance reviews. Consistent feedback is not a soft skill. It is a leadership system. Here’s a simple framework to make constructive feedback feel natural: 1️⃣ Schedule recurring 1:1s Set biweekly meetings with a standing agenda: career development, wins, and areas for growth. 2️⃣ Prepare your talking points Write down what you want to address. Clarity creates confidence. 3️⃣ Let them go first Ask, “Where do you think you need support? Where are you excelling?” Self-awareness changes the tone of the conversation. 4️⃣ Build on their reflection If they raise the same issue you noticed, reinforce it and add your perspective. 5️⃣ Fill in the gaps carefully If something important is missing, frame it as an observation. “I want you to succeed, and I see an opportunity for growth in X.” When you show up as a coach instead of a critic, feedback becomes expected, not feared. Employees grow faster when clarity is consistent. Make development predictable. Make conversations normal. That is how trust gets built over time. What makes consistent feedback hardest for you: timing, wording, or fear of reaction? 💾 Save this for your next 1:1. ➕ Follow Rene Madden, ACC for more leadership insights.

When your 1:1s feel like a to-do list item… it’s time to reset. Now, I know 1:1s are the subject of much debate these days re: to hold them or not to hold them. If you’ve found another way to achieve ongoing alignment with your team outside of 1:1s, more power to you, my friend. If you’re like me and still syncing with your direct reports on a scheduled cadence, hello there. I see you. 👋🏾 We know the time is valuable but to extract the value, we have to invest. Here’s 3 things that have worked well for me across the teams I’ve led. ⸻ ✅ Discuss the work — and the human doing it. Yep, we have projects, metrics, and deadlines to discuss. But we have to be mindful not to make these meetings purely transactional. Ask how your direct report is doing, not just what they’re doing - and be prepared for more than a one-word answer, when you ask (‼️). ⸻ ✅ Shared agendas for the win. The best 1:1s are employee-led, manager-supported. Period. Encourage your direct report to outline what’s most important — what needs discussion vs. what’s just an FYI. Come prepared with your own list too. It’s always a partnership, not a solo act. ⸻ ✅ Keep your word — and keep it consistent. If you’ve scheduled recurring 1:1s, consistency matters. Life happens of course (travel, PTO, deadlines) — but if you cancel more 1:1s than you hold, it sends a signal: “This time isn’t a priority.” And fair or not, that message endures. ⸻ ⚡️ Bonus: Go deeper, quarterly. Once a quarter, make space for growth conversations — the kind that look beyond today’s list of priorities. Use the space to dive in on career goals, development areas, and key wins. The best 1:1s move the work forward - and move your people forward too. #Leadership #ManagementTips #1:1s