A mix of the manager and the employee owns the 1:1 meeting. Each 1:1 has a predetermined focus. With this theme in mind, the manager and the team member draft their respective agendas. They review each other’s agendas and make suggestions for edits or additions. Finally, the manager (in most cases, the assistant) combines the two draft agendas, so there is one final agenda for the 1:1 meeting. The process may be lengthy, but it guarantees that both sides of the one-on-one have a voice during the meeting.
I have found from personal experience that in my 1:1 meetings, it is always a mix of both the employee and manager setting the agenda. The manager thinks of certain goals for the employee to reach towards, while the employees think more about what they need to learn to reach those goals. This way, everyone feels like they belong in the conversation and that we are all working together to accomplish bigger objectives. It has been incredibly helpful in keeping me motivated and on task with my career.
Meeting organizers should always own the agenda, as they're the ones with the full context of why the meeting has been called, why these particular people have been invited and what the overall goals of the meeting should be. Others can and should cut in, but the meeting organizer should be the arbiter.
Communications are most effective when they flow multi-directionally, not from top-to-bottom or vice versa. That’s why we encourage managers and employees to take an equal role in planning 1:1 meeting agendas. Both parties typically have points they need to discuss, so putting the power into one person’s hands inevitably means missing information or pushing the meeting over its time limit to discuss last-minute questions by the person who didn’t create the agenda. Fortunately, planning technology makes asynchronously collaborating on a meeting agenda simple. Both employees and managers can add points to the agenda schedule and seamlessly edit it together. More meetings finish on time, cover more points, and require fewer time-consuming follow-up emails.
1:1 meetings should always be a two-way street. A fact managers often overlook is that they can learn as much from their employees as their employees can learn from them. In 1:1 meetings, there needs to be a lot of two-way communication happening in order for the meeting to actually be effective and productive. This is a manager’s moment to gather some helpful insight into how their employees are feeling, and active listening during a 1:1 is simply imperative.
[Employee POV here] As an employee, I used to own the agenda for the 1-1 meetings with my manager in my past two jobs. My manager would sometimes add some topics that need to be discussed, but rarely. I felt very comfortable with this approach because I had the space and freedom to bring up any topics I wanted to on a weekly basis.
In my opinion, both employees and managers should own the agenda in 1:1 meetings. While it's important for managers to set the tone and guide the conversation, employees should also have an equal opportunity to share their ideas, concerns, and personal goals. It's a collaborative effort, and both parties should have a say in what's discussed. So I think a mix of perspectives from both sides leads to a more productive and engaged meeting.
In most organizations, you see managers own the agenda of 1:1 meetings. However, in our office, the case is different. We like to like to promote a mix of both. It keeps the managers and employees connected. Moreover, when employees also get a chance to own the agenda, it helps to boost their confidence and put forth what they actually think. It brings new ideas to the front of the team. Our organization believes it helps to drive successful conversations. We can get the most out of the meetings when this is a mixed type. To achieve important business goals, it’s crucial to take the opinion of not only managers but also employees and team members. The research from Gallup shows that employees who have one on one meetings with their Managers are three times more likely to be engaged. More than 85% of highly engaged organizations consider one on one meetings of mixed types.
The ownership of 1:1 meetings should be shared between employees and managers. Both parties should set the agenda and collaborate to ensure that the meetings are productive and beneficial for all involved. This shared responsibility is key to successful 1:1 meetings.
"The 1:1 meetings should always be equal ground for the manager and the employee. However, the manager should ultimately own the agenda, as they have the best experience and insight to guide the conversation. They are responsible for ensuring that the time is used effectively and that both parties get something out of it.” It's a delicate balance that requires a mix of both parties' input, but ultimately the manager must take charge to ensure the meeting is productive.
1:1 meetings should be a collaborative effort between employees and managers to agree on an agenda that is beneficial to both parties. It is important that employees feel empowered to bring their own ideas to the table while managers help guide the discussion.
Involving both employees and managers in the agenda of these meetings promotes a collaborative and transparent approach in our communication, allowing for a more open dialogue about our goals, progress, and concerns, and allowing both of the parties to contribute to the discussion and work toward a mutual success within our company.
It should always be a mix of both. Employees and managers should both be able to bring topics to the meeting to address any questions or concerns. It can't be one sided. The whole purpose of the meeting is to collaborate, so allow both parties to share their own topics.
We have a hybrid management system where employees have the option to schedule their own 1:1s with managers whenever they want, and managers are the facilitators of the 1:1s. This hybrid system allows for a shared ownership mentality where managers and employees both have ownership of the 1:1s and an equal say in what goes on.
I like to think of my one-on-ones as a collaboration with my direct reports. We share a deep understanding of what we are working on, what we have accomplished, and what our individual and collective goals are for the next 90 days. While I do take a lead on the agenda and provide some structure and support, I also rely on my team to set the agenda and run the meeting. I also encourage my team to set expectations for what they want to get out of the meeting, and we check-in on that at the beginning of our meeting.
In my experience, owning the agenda in 1:1 meetings is a collaborative effort between the manager and employee. I like to think that our team has an open environment where both managers and employees can share their ideas for the meeting topics. This allows for more input from all parties and makes sure that nothing is missed by either side. The manager will usually initiate the conversation, but employees are also encouraged to raise points that they would like to discuss or collaborate on.
At our 1:1 meetings, we like to shake things up! Instead of the usual hierarchy, we bring together both employees and managers to own the agenda making 1:1s more dynamic! Why? They each bring their own unique expertise to the table and work together to tackle every topic proactively.
Our managers own the agenda of our 1:1 meetings. A big part of this is the fact that a number of employees are new to the workforce and companies like ours. This means that demonstration is an important part of their growth, and something they can use later or take with them in a more senior role. Despite the fact that managers control the agenda, we encourage them to bring the employee into the fold and work the topics together.
In a fully-remote company like ours, employees are in charge of setting the agenda. Our 1:1 meetings are reserved for them to communicate with their managers in a safe and confidential space. It is our way of showing that we are willing to listen to their concerns, ideas, and suggestions.
Our 1:1 meetings are a two way street. I feel 1:1s shouldn't be a power struggle, but a chance to connect, catch up, and work through issues. Truly honest communication in such meetings is only possible if the playing field is level, so I like setting the agenda to be a collaborative effort. Both the employee and manager own it.