Picture this: I sat across from my ex-boss during a routine 1:1 session, expecting mundane discussions about project status. Instead, she began by asking about my passions, goals, and aspirations I held for my design career. Suddenly, my curiosity was piqued, and I realized there was untapped potential in these meetings — a chance to unlock hidden opportunities and ignite my growth as an individual contributor.
The goal of an effective 1:1 isn’t to give an update or get instructions from your manager. It’s a conversation. If you’re using one-on-ones only to share project updates with your manager, you’re doing it wrong. There are many systems to share updates (Slack, project management software, Google Docs, Wikis) — 1:1s aren’t one of them.
1:1s are a chance to talk to your manager about you — your ideas for the product, career goals and ambitions, interests, and self-reflection.