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Leadership Term

1:1 Meetings

Definition

Regular, scheduled conversations between a manager and each of their direct reports. These meetings are primarily for the team member's benefit, covering their priorities, obstacles, feedback, and development.

Key Principles

  • Held regularly (weekly or biweekly)
  • Owned by the team member, not the manager
  • Focus on the person, not just the work
  • Never canceled (rescheduled if necessary)
  • Private and uninterrupted

Examples in Practice

  • Starting with 'What's on your mind?' rather than jumping into status updates
  • Using the time to discuss career goals and growth opportunities
  • Creating space for team members to raise concerns they wouldn't share in group settings

Related Terms

Emotional Intelligence

The ability to recognize, understand, manage, and effectively use emotions in yourself and others. In leadership, emotional intelligence enables better communication, conflict resolution, and team dynamics.

Delegation

The process of assigning responsibility and authority to team members to complete specific tasks or projects. Effective delegation develops team capabilities while allowing leaders to focus on their highest-impact work.

Psychological Safety

A shared belief that the team is safe for interpersonal risk-taking. Team members feel confident they won't be punished, humiliated, or rejected for speaking up with questions, concerns, mistakes, or new ideas.

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