1:1 meeting template
Manager and direct report, weekly or biweekly. The report drives the agenda; the manager holds the space. This template covers check-in, progress, feedback, career, and follow-ups.
When to use it
Every scheduled 1:1 between a manager and a report. Also works for skip-levels, mentor sessions, and peer check-ins. Same structure across the year, small tweaks per person.
Who benefits
Managers
A steady frame that survives busy quarters. Feedback and career show up on the agenda instead of getting deferred.
Reports
Their items lead. The 1:1 stops being a status meeting.
New managers
Fewer things to remember. The structure carries the meeting when you are still learning the person.
The template
Copy the block into a shared doc between the two of you.
# 1:1 - [Report name] and [Manager name]
Date: [YYYY-MM-DD]
Cadence: [weekly / biweekly]
## Personal check-in
- How are you, outside of work?
- Energy level this week: [low / steady / high]
## Report's agenda (leads)
- [Item 1]
- [Item 2]
- [Item 3]
## Progress since last time
- Wins: [what shipped or moved]
- Struggles: [what got stuck]
- Follow-ups from last 1:1: [status of each]
## Feedback
- From manager to report: [specific, recent, actionable]
- From report to manager: [specific, recent, actionable]
## Career and growth
- Current focus: [skill, project, scope]
- Next step: [what unlocks the next level]
- Blockers to growth: [what is in the way]
## Action items
- [ ] [Action] - owner: [name] - due: [YYYY-MM-DD]
- [ ] [Action] - owner: [name] - due: [YYYY-MM-DD]
## Next 1:1
- Date: [YYYY-MM-DD]
- Pre-reads: [links]
Fill it automatically with RecordX
Record the 1:1 in your browser or on your phone. RecordX writes the summary into the same headings and keeps the transcript private to your account. Nothing leaves your library.
Structured summary
Check-in, progress, feedback, and career pulled into the same sections you use above.
Action items with owners
Follow-ups extracted with names and dates so nothing dies in the transcript.
Private by default
1:1 recordings stay in your account. No third-party bot on the call, no shared library.
FAQ
How often should a 1:1 happen?
Weekly for direct reports, biweekly for skip-levels. Keep the cadence even when there is nothing to discuss - that is when the useful conversations show up.
Who owns the 1:1 agenda?
The report drives the agenda, the manager holds the space. This template puts the report's items first for that reason.
Should 1:1s be recorded?
Only with both people's consent, and only if the recording stays private to the two of you. RecordX records locally and lets you keep the transcript private to your account.
Is the template free?
Yes. Copy the block above into any shared doc or private note.