2026-06-27
Zero prep for 1-on-1s: turn report logs into discussion points
Why 1-on-1s end as small talk and prep is heavy — and how to fix it. Turn accumulated daily reports into the agenda for the meeting.
Two reasons 1-on-1s fail
One is lack of prep, so it becomes small talk; the other is ad-hoc angles that shift every time. Both come from a shortage of material — quality wobbles when you rely on memory and impressions. A bias also tends to creep in: only the most recent events stick, and an important change from a little earlier drops out.
The material is already in the reports
Lay out 1 week of P/D/C/A and you see patterns of stumbling, points of growth, and issues left unaddressed. Use these as the agenda and prep is just 'lay out the material.' When reading, first pick up two things and the agenda narrows: is the same kind of stumble repeating, and is there an item written in P that was never carried out?
Cross-check against the coaching policy
Decide 'how you want them to grow this term' in advance and read the weekly log through that lens; the points to praise and the points to work on emerge naturally. Without a policy, evaluation becomes ad-hoc. The policy needn't be long; if you can say it in one sentence such as 'become able to plan the steps yourself,' it decides where in the log to look.
Put the cheat sheet on 1 page
Summarize strengths, points to work on together, and example questions on 1 page and you won't hesitate in the meeting. Short prep, deep dialogue — that's a 1-on-1 you can sustain. Write the example questions so they don't presume the answer, such as 'what felt most solid this week?' or 'when you got stuck, what did you try first?' and the person finds it easier to talk.
The smallest step to try first
Trying to build the whole system at once won't last. Before the next meeting, reread the reports and write down just one fact you want to praise and one point you want to check. Even that changes the feel from a meeting that ends as small talk. As you get used to it, widen in this order: add the cross-check against the policy, then the cheat sheet. After the meeting, have what was decided reflected in the report's A or next week's P, so the dialogue connects to action. Keeping notes in the same format after each meeting makes the next prep easier and lets you follow changes over time. A few lines is enough; sustaining it matters more. Fold prep time into the time you already spend reading reports rather than creating a separate slot, so the burden doesn't grow. Closing by confirming just one thing the person will try before next time also gives the next agenda naturally.
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