Make a copy of this doc. Fill out the Questions for Manager section. Send this to your employee and ask them to spend 30 mins or less filling out the Questions for Employee before your 1:1.
Welcome to your first 1:1 meeting!
In this meeting, you’ll get to know each other, cover work habits and preferences, and talk about how you can work well together.
Questions for Manager
.1What’s the purpose of this meeting?
.2Who are you?
.3Explain a brief history of your time in your role at your company.
.4What is important for you at work?
.5How you interact with people?
.6You’ll know when I’m grumpy when I...
.7How do you like to receive feedback?
Questions for Employee
.1What do you expect from a good manager?
.2How do you like to receive feedback?
.3How do you prefer to receive recognition?
.4What is important to you outside of work?
.5What makes you grumpy? How will I know when you’re grumpy?
.6What’s your favorite baked good? (When you want to thank somebody, it can be super useful.)
.7What is your favorite way of having our 1:1 meeting: a walk, a coffee break, a meeting in a meeting room?
.8What is the best time for having our 1:1 meeting?
.9What makes 1:1s the most valuable for you?
Set the process:
Create a shared doc at the end of your 1:1 to share action items for each of you.