Something to doWorking with your manager
Make your 1:1 agenda yours
A micro habit for turning your 1:1 from a status update into time that's actually for you
Why it’s worth your time
A 1:1 spent reading out status is time neither of you gets back, and status is usually quicker to read than to hear. When you set the agenda, the conversation goes to what only a conversation can do: decisions you need, problems you're stuck on, advice, and your own growth. A running doc also means nothing gets lost between meetings.
How to run a 1:1 with your manager
You’ll come away with a shared 1:1 doc with your items at the top, and a meeting that's for you.
We’ll turn this into a checklist you can tick off.
- Start one shared doc for all your 1:1s.
One document, newest meeting at the top, that you and your manager can both see and add to. Mention it in your next 1:1 so it doesn't arrive as a surprise.
You“I've started a shared doc for our 1:1s so we can both add things during the week. I'll put my items at the top and keep status in there too, so we can spend the time on what needs a conversation.” - Add your items before each 1:1.
The day before, list what you want the time for: a decision you need, something you're stuck on, a question you'd like advice on, something about your growth. Put the one that matters most first.
Tip: Keep a running list during the week. The best items tend to turn up on a Tuesday afternoon, not five minutes before the meeting.
- Put status in writing, below your items.
A few short lines on what's done and what's next, where your manager can read them before you meet. Then you only talk about the parts that need talking about.
- Leave room for their items.
Keep a space for your manager's topics. It's your meeting, but it isn't only yours, and the doc works best when you both use it.
- Write down what you agreed.
Two or three lines at the end: decisions, next steps, who's doing what. Next time, start by checking them.
MonTueWedThuFri9 am11 am1 pm3 pm10 min, yours5 pm0.7 hrs a month, for you9 hrs a year you didn’t have beforeSame slot so it stops being a decision
Good moments for this: before every 1:1when your 1:1s start to feel like status meetingswhen you get a new manager
We’ll turn this into a checklist you can tick off.
Keep going with Truest
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Making it work for you
Every workplace is different. Here’s what to think about before you start, and what might get in the way.
Things to think about
They tend to welcome someone who arrives with a plan.
What might make this harder
Offer the doc as a shared space and suggest you each add your items. Most managers are happy to have someone else do the preparation.
Questions people ask
What should I talk about in a 1:1 with my manager?
What needs a conversation: decisions you need, problems you're stuck on, advice, and your growth. Put status in writing beforehand so the time goes further.
Who should set the agenda for a 1:1?
Usually the person reporting to the manager. Andy Grove argued in High Output Management that the one-on-one is the report's meeting, and it tends to work best that way.
How do I stop my 1:1s being status updates?
Write the status down before you meet, put your real items at the top of a shared doc, and use the time for what's left.
What is a 1:1 doc?
A single running document you and your manager both add to, with each meeting's topics and what you agreed. It keeps things from getting lost between meetings.
Why this works, and where it comes from
Many 1:1s drift into the same shape: you read out what you did, your manager nods, and you both leave slightly unsatisfied. Status is the least useful thing to spend a 1:1 on, because it's the easiest thing to put in writing. What gets squeezed out is everything that actually needs two people talking: the decision you're waiting on, the problem you're quietly stuck on, the question about where you're headed.
In High Output Management, Andy Grove made the case that the one-on-one belongs to the person reporting, not the manager. The report brings the issues and sets the agenda, and the manager's job is largely to listen and help. That flips the usual pattern. Instead of waiting to be asked how things are going, you arrive with what you need.
The running doc is what makes it stick. Your items go at the top so they don't get crowded out, status goes where it can be read in thirty seconds, and what you agreed stays written down. Over months, the doc becomes a record of what you raised, decided and delivered. That's handy at review time, and whenever either of you forgets what was agreed in March.
It's still a shared meeting. Leave room for your manager's topics and let them add to the doc. And some weeks there won't be much to raise, which is fine. Ask what's on their mind, ask for advice on something you're working on, or give the time back. A short 1:1 with a real conversation beats a long one spent reading a list. And if your 1:1s already work well for you, or your manager keeps a format they like, don't take it over; add your items to what's there.
Other simple things to consider
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Written by Truest, based on High Output Management (Andrew S. Grove). Last updated October 2, 2026. We sell a career membership; where that’s relevant above, we say so.