1:1 questions by situation, picked into a doc you can copy.

Eleven situations, and what to listen for in each.

• First 1:1

  With a new report. Learn how they like to work before you need to know it. Write the answers down: you'll forget them in a month.

  What did your best manager do that you'd like me to do too?

• Regular check-in

  The weekly default. Their topics first, then one or two of these if there's time. Not a status update.

  What's on your mind this week?

• Career growth

  Once a month or once a quarter, set a 1:1 aside for this. It gets pushed out by urgent work if you don't.

  Where do you want to be in two to three years?

• Feedback both ways

  Ask for feedback often and specifically, so it's normal by the time you need to give hard feedback yourself.

  What's one thing I could do differently to help you more?

• Signs of burnout

  Late commits, short answers, cameras off, no time off in months. Ask directly and be ready to take work away.

  How's your energy been lately, on a scale of one to ten?

• Low performance

  Start curious, then be specific. Say what you see, what good looks like and how you'll both check. Check with HR before anything formal.

  How do you think the last few weeks have gone?

• After a promotion

  The first weeks at a new level. Help them see what changes, and what they should stop doing.

  What feels different about the new role so far?

• Reorg or layoff

  Before or after big changes. Say what you know and what you don't. Silence fills up with rumors.

  How are you feeling about the changes?

• Thinking of leaving

  Ask these before you get the resignation. Some reasons you can fix; some you can only hear.

  If you could change one thing about your job, what would it be?

• Remote or other time zone

  For the person who's hours away from the rest of the team. Look for the meetings and decisions they keep missing.

  Do you feel included in decisions made in meetings you can't attend?

• New manager, new team

  Your first round of 1:1s after taking over a team. Listen more than you change things.

  What did your last manager do that you'd like me to keep doing?

A 1:1 meeting template that keeps a running record.

1. 1Their topicsFirst, always. They add these during the week. If there's nothing, move on.
2. 2Wins since last timeShipped work, a hard review handled well. Easy to forget by review season.
3. 3BlockersWhat's stuck, and whether you're the one who can unstick it.
4. 4QuestionsOne or two from the bank, matched to what's going on for them right now.
5. 5Coming upTime off, travel, on-call in the next six weeks. People mention plans here long before they request them.
6. 6Action itemsAn owner and a date on each. Start next week's 1:1 with these.

Asking the right questions without turning it into a survey.

• Two or three, not ten

  Pick before the meeting. If the first one opens something up, drop the rest.

• Follow the answer

  “Say more about that” and “What would help?” do more than your next prepared question.

• Ask the same thing twice

  “How's your energy?” every few weeks shows a trend. A one-off answer is just a mood.

• Write it down

  Put answers in the doc, not your memory. You'll need them for reviews, promotions and when they mention a plan in passing.

Burnout often shows on the calendar before it shows in a 1:1.

People who are close to burning out rarely say so. A row with no time off in months is easier to spot. On this design team with unlimited PTO, three people have breaks booked over the summer. Ken has a two-week focus block and no days off before the redesign ships. That's who gets the burnout questions this week.