1:1s with Team Members
Learn about 1:1 meetings and the types of interview questions commonly asked about them.
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It can be a misconception, especially among those new to management, that a 1:1 meeting is not important. Experienced managers know that 1:1s with their reports should be the most important meeting on their calendars. These meetings allow managers to build trust with their reports and lay the groundwork for productive and fulfilling working relations.
The primary purpose of a 1:1 meeting isn’t to gather status updates, explore technical discussions, or troubleshoot issues. Instead, it should be viewed as the team member’s dedicated time; an open space where they’re encouraged to share thoughts, concerns, goals, or anything else they find meaningful.
A manager’s responsibility during this conversation is to ask direct and indirect questions that allow them to understand the team members’ needs and alignment with their work. This will enable the manager to gauge whether or not the team member is happy with their work. Performance management and growth opportunities are also important topics to cover during a 1:1 meeting.
What is your philosophy and framework around 1:1s?
This is a typical question regarding 1:1s and can be asked in variations that look like this:
What do you think is an ideal 1:1 with your report?
What is your typical 1:1 like?
Let’s examine strategies for thoughtfully responding to questions of this nature.
Evaluation criteria
Before answering these questions, it is important to understand the expectations of the interviewer and their evaluation criteria. With such questions, the interviewer is trying to evaluate the following:
Whether or not the candidate understands the importance of 1:1s.
Whether or not the candidate can adapt their management style for individual team members. Managers should not define themselves as either a “micro-manager” or a “macro manager,” but should adjust themselves according to the individual members’ needs.
Whether or not the candidate discusses performance management and growth plans in the 1:1s.
Whether or not the candidate works on building trust with team members. ...