{"id":386,"date":"2018-01-11T18:24:21","date_gmt":"2018-01-11T18:24:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/danielvlopes238992071.wordpress.com\/2018\/01\/11\/the-8-best-questions-to-ask-during-a-one-on-one-meeting\/"},"modified":"2025-02-28T13:33:22","modified_gmt":"2025-02-28T21:33:22","slug":"the-8-best-questions-to-ask-during-a-one-on-one-meeting","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/canopy.is\/blog\/2018\/01\/11\/the-8-best-questions-to-ask-during-a-one-on-one-meeting\/","title":{"rendered":"The 8 best questions to ask during a one-on-one meeting"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

What should you put on your next one-on-one meeting agenda? These one-on-one meeting questions should be a part of every manager\u2019s toolkit.<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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That one-on-one meeting is scheduled on your calendar this week. So, what should you talk about?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As a manager, executive, or business owner, this is one of the most recurring and perplexing situations you\u2019ll face. Should you prepare a one-on-one meeting agenda ahead of time? Does it feel too stiff to do so? Should you simply have general meetings topics ready to go? What are the questions you should ask during this one-on-one?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We posed this dilemma to our Canopy<\/a> online leadership community to see what they had to say. From that conversation, I\u2019ve shared what these managers, business owners, and executives have found to be the best questions to ask during a one-on-one meeting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\nLooking for more detailed guidance on one-on-one meetings?<\/strong>\nMake sure to check out our 1:1 module in Canopy.\n<\/div>\n
\nLearn more<\/a>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Take a look and see if you agree\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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#1: How\u2019s life?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

On the surface, this doesn\u2019t seem like a significant question to ask. After all, some managers default to asking this question as a crutch when they\u2019re not sure how to open up a one-on-one meeting. However, this question can be actually quite powerful, if you can embrace a greater intention behind it: To build trust. When asked, our members agreed on the importance of having trust and a strong personal rapport going into a one-on-one. The more you know about a coworker\u2019s dreams, hobbies, pets, children\u2019s names, etc., the greater the sense of trust is. And the greater the trust, the easier a tough conversation is. As a result, many managers from our community kick off their one-on-one with a \u201cget-know-you\u201d question like, \u201cHow\u2019s life?\u201d or \u201cHow\u2019s [insert spouse\u2019s name]?\u201d or \u201cWhat are you up to this weekend?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One manager, in particular, emphasized the importance of talking about life outside of work way before<\/em> you even have the one-on-one. That way, you build a foundation of trust to use if you need to bring up a difficult topic during your one-on-one. Prior to a one-on-one, here are some of the top 25 get-to-know-you questions that can help with this<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

#2: What are you worried about right now?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

During a one-on-one, you want to figure if there\u2019s anything bothering an employee before it\u2019s too late and they decide to leave or their performance is affected. A few questions do that as well as this one. Recommended by a few of our members (and a question I regularly asking during my one-on-ones), this question can help unearth the deep-seated concerns, confusion, or uncertainty an employee might be facing. A slight variation to this question that may unearth even more specific answers is: \u201cWhen\u2019s the last time<\/em> you were worried about something?<\/em>\u201d This question is rooted in a specific moment of tension<\/a> that can help make it more concrete for an employee when reflecting on if there\u2019s something they might be worried about.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

#3: What rumors are you hearing that you think I should know about?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Asking this question can bring to light rumors that you can dispel before they spin out of control. But on top of that, as one of our members said: \u201cWhat the rumor mill is saying is also often a compass pointing to places where people feel stressed.\u201d Ask this question to uncover a deeper, disconcerting source of unease or frustration for employees. You\u2019ll want to pay attention to that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For one of our members, asking this question had a direct effect on her entire team\u2019s morale: She was able to nip a rumor in the bud very quickly about why an employee was fired.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

#4: If you could be proud of one accomplishment between now and next year, what would it be?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

To get a coworker thinking about their personal goals over the next six months, as well as their long-term careers, one manager in our community recommended asking this question. You may not get a meaningful response every single time from every employee you pose it to, as some employees may find it difficult to answer on-the-spot. However, it\u2019s a great way to spark the initial conversation with an employee about future goals. Not to mention, it\u2019s a more thoughtful question than simply asking, \u201cWhat goals do you have for yourself?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\nLooking for more detailed guidance on one-on-one meetings?<\/strong>\nMake sure to check out our 1:1 module in Canopy.\n<\/div>\n
\nLearn more<\/a>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

#5: What are your biggest time wasters?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

No one likes to waste time. Few feelings are as stifling and demoralizing, especially in a work setting. As a result, asking this question during a one-on-one is imperative. Once you ask this question, be prepared to think on and follow with concrete ideas for how you think that a person\u2019s time won\u2019t be wasted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

#6: Would you like more or less direction from me?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Feeling micromanaged is often another source of stress for an employee\u200a\u2014\u200aand it\u2019s one of the most common. As a manager, it can easily to unintentionally give an employee too much guidance. At the same time, employees find it equally frustrating when they\u2019re hung out to dry with no support. When you ask this question, you can then adjust your management style and techniques. Furthermore, asking this question also signals to your coworker that you recognize the value of providing the right<\/em> level of support as a manager. As a leader, this question shows you\u2019re self-aware.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

#7: Would you like more or less feedback on your work? If so, what additional feedback would you like?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Our members suggest asking this question because you\u2019re most likely going to get a resounding \u201cyes.\u201d After surveying hundreds of companies and thousands of employees through Canopy<\/a>, we\u2019ve found that 80% of employees say, \u201cI want more feedback about my performance.\u201d<\/a> Your one-on-one is the perfect opportunity to figure out exactly what kind of feedback someone would like.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

#8: Are there any decisions you\u2019re hung up on?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

One of the best ways to help coach an employee is to give them some support on a decision that they\u2019re wrestling with. They could be quite distraught because they\u2019re not sure with path to take\u200a\u2014\u200aand you can help. Asking this question during the one-on-one is a wonderful way to alleviate the potential pain they may be feeling around a tough decision.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Whether your one-on-ones are weekly, once a month, or once a quarter, I\u2019d highly encourage you to place one or two of these questions in your typical meeting agenda. Based on the experiences of our members who\u2019ve asked these questions, you\u2019re guaranteed to learn something new and create a stronger rapport with your team.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For a deeper dive, be sure to check out our \u201cHow to Run Effective One-on-One Meetings<\/a>\u201d module in Canopy. The first few lessons are free \u2013 as are hundreds of daily tips. Try Canopy<\/a><\/em> for free, yourself, today.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\nLooking for more detailed guidance on one-on-one meetings?<\/strong>\nMake sure to check out our 1:1 module in Canopy.\n<\/div>\n
\nLearn more<\/a>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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