One-on-One Meetings

Handled well, they keep people engaged, aligned, and growing – not just “status updates.”

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Why One‑on‑Ones Matter

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For Managers

• Coach, don’t just assign
  Use the time to build judgment and autonomy, not to re‑do sprint planning.
• Build trust and retention
  Consistent, high‑quality 1:1s are one of the strongest predictors of engagement.

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For Team Members

• Dedicated space for them
  Time to talk about career, concerns, and ideas that don’t fit into standups.
• Clear priorities and expectations
  Align on what “good” looks like this week/quarter.
• Regular feedback loop
  Both to receive coaching and to give feedback upward.

mpath makes 1:1s easier to run consistently and ties them into the rest of the system (people, tasks, feedback, initiatives).

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Key Concepts

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One‑on‑One Record

A 1:1 in mpath represents the relationship and cadence between a manager and a report:

• Who the manager and report are
• How often you meet (weekly, bi‑weekly, monthly, etc.)
• The history of notes, commitments, and topics

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Notes and Action Items

• Use notes to capture:
  • Themes over time (career goals, growth areas, strengths)
  • Specific commitments from each side
  • Follow‑ups for the next session
• Turn action items into tasks when they should appear in the day‑to‑day workflow.

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Links to Other Data

From a 1:1 you can quickly access:

• The person’s tasks, initiatives, and meetings
• Feedback and synopses (where appropriate)
• Their place in the people hierarchy

This pulls everything into a single, coaching‑focused conversation.

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How to Run Effective One‑on‑Ones

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1. Set Up the Relationship

1. Ensure the manager ↔ report relationship is correct in the people/teams setup.
2. Configure the cadence you want:
   • Weekly or bi‑weekly for most engineers
   • Monthly for senior ICs or leads who also meet in group forums
3. Make sure both sides know:
   • When the meeting is
   • What it’s for
   • How to add topics

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2. Prepare for the Session

Before each 1:1, quickly review:

• The person’s recent tasks (especially blocked or high‑priority items)
• Any active initiatives they own or contribute to
• Recent feedback or report synopses

Skim previous 1:1 notes for:

• Open commitments
• Themes you’re tracking (growth areas, stressors, goals)

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3. Structure the Conversation

Use a simple flow:

1. Their topics first
   • “What’s top of mind for you this week?”
2. Work and execution
   • Progress, blockers, support needed
   • How current work ties back to initiatives and goals
3. Career and growth
   • Skills to develop, opportunities, next steps
4. Feedback both ways
   • What’s working / not working in your partnership

Capture key points and decisions in the 1:1 notes.

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4. Turn Talk into Follow‑Through

At the end of the meeting:

• Summarize 3–5 concrete commitments:
  • What they will do
  • What you will do
  • By when
• Create tasks for items that need to show up in execution:
  • Link them to the person and any relevant initiatives.
• At the next 1:1, start by reviewing how these commitments went.

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Examples & Best Practices

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Example: Early‑Career Engineer

• Cadence: Weekly 30 minutes
• Focus:
  • Clarifying priorities for the week
  • Unblocking tasks and pairing opportunities
  • Building confidence and communication patterns
• In mpath:
  • Review their tasks (status + priority).
  • Use initiatives to show how their work fits into bigger goals.
  • Capture growth areas and wins in the notes.

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Example: Senior IC or Tech Lead

• Cadence: Bi‑weekly or monthly, longer when needed
• Focus:
  • Initiative ownership and strategic impact
  • Cross‑team collaboration and influence
  • Long‑term career direction
• In mpath:
  • Use initiative pages as anchor material.
  • Connect 1:1 topics to feedback and reports.

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General Best Practices

• Avoid turning 1:1s into status meetings only – status is a starting point, not the whole agenda.
• Write down commitments – future you (and they) will thank you.
• Use the system, not separate docs – keep notes, tasks, and initiatives connected so 1:1s are grounded in reality, not memory.

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Integration with Other Features

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Tasks and Initiatives

• Review recent tasks before each 1:1 to understand current workload
• Link action items from 1:1s to relevant initiatives
• Track follow-through by reviewing task completion between sessions

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Feedback and Development

• Reference feedback received or given since the last 1:1
• Use synopses to track themes and patterns over time
• Connect career discussions to development opportunities

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People and Hierarchy

• Understand reporting relationships and team context
• See related meetings and other commitments
• Access full person profile for comprehensive context

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Common Patterns

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Weekly Check-ins

For most team members, weekly 1:1s provide:

• Regular touchpoint for alignment
• Quick blocker resolution
• Consistent feedback loop
• Relationship building

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Bi-Weekly or Monthly Sessions

For senior team members or leads:

• More strategic focus
• Longer time blocks for deeper discussions
• Initiative and career planning emphasis
• Cross-functional collaboration topics

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Ad-Hoc Sessions

Sometimes you need to schedule additional 1:1s for:

• Performance conversations
• Career planning discussions
• Conflict resolution
• Special project check-ins

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Troubleshooting

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When 1:1s Feel Rushed

• Extend duration if consistently running over
• Reduce status updates – use async channels for routine updates
• Focus on priorities – not everything needs discussion

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When Topics Feel Stale

• Review recent work – tasks, initiatives, feedback
• Ask open-ended questions – “What’s challenging you right now?”
• Connect to bigger picture – link daily work to goals and initiatives

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When Follow-Through Lags

• Create tasks immediately during or right after the 1:1
• Review commitments at the start of the next session
• Link tasks to initiatives so they appear in regular workflows