chapters (6)
Make It Their Meeting
The moment. You sit down for the 1:1 and start running through your list of things to check on.
What most people do
Treat it as a status meeting - the manager's agenda, project updates, action items - so it becomes a standup for one.
Why it misfires. Status you can get async. If the 1:1 is your agenda, it stops being the place they raise what's really on their mind - and you lose the one channel where that happens.
The rewrite
"This is your time - what's most on your mind this week? We can hit my stuff after."
The move: their agenda first. Open by handing them the floor, and let their topics lead. Your items come second, or go async. It's their meeting; you're the guest.
Your turn
Write the line you'll open your next 1:1 with, handing them the agenda.
Edge cases. A light shared doc where they add topics beforehand makes "their agenda" real - but still open by asking, don't just march down the doc.
This week
Start one 1:1 by asking what's on their mind, before any of your updates.