220. One-on-ones 💚
Two favorite templates for setting agendas and expectations together
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Links that are worth your time
Short life lessons … from me 😊 [World Class Performer]
The is one of the most introspective Q&As I’ve had the privilege to do. Big thanks to the World Class Performer team for having me, and for asking great questions about life, loss, motivation, and performance.
The Productverse [Airtable]
Incredibly comprehensive resource of software tools for marketers.
Why tweet threads go viral [Twitter]
Tips on building online communities [Twitter]
Hi there 👋
Last week, I wrote about Calendly’s rebrand, and it was great hearing so many of your thoughts and comments. I was also eagerly awaiting to read what one of my favorite branding blogs — Brand New — had to say about the redesign. Here’s their comprehensive review. Rebranding ain’t easy. Good for Calendly making a bold move; from what I can tell, it sparked a lot of conversation and ideas (which is never a bad thing).
Wishing you a great week,
Kevan
One-on-one template for managers
Perhaps the most valuable way I spend my time each week is in 1:1s with my team.
I’m fortunate to manage some awesome folks at Polly, and I do my best to set them up to succeed. People management is not a skill that comes most naturally to me, so I’ve worked hard at it over the years.
I do weekly, hourlong one-on-ones with each person I directly manage.
I use the time for connection, not status updates.
I ask the teammate to set the agenda and to use the time in whatever way is best for them.
I build in a cadence for talking about career goals and career growth.
To help me stay organized and consistent, I’ve used a handful of great templates over the years, many of which came from my days at Buffer. (One of our favorites was the personal “operating manual.”) Now I have a couple of mainstay templates that I have in my toolbox, and I’m happy to share them here.
Setting the stage with a 1:1 agreement
In many cases, I like to start a new relationship by getting to know what the other person wants and expects out of our 1:1s and by sharing my perspective on the value of our time together. This most often happens when I take over 1:1s from existing teammates rather than hire folks brand new. For the new hires, we get to this stage eventually, once they settle in.
This agreement is a mishmash of the Buffer owner’s manual plus some really great resources on the Coda website, including this partnership agreement from @rtimme.
About [team member]
I’m at my best when:
Example: I have plenty of heads down work time. I also appreciate knowing when I’m doing well and having the right impact.
What makes me grumpy:
Example: When I feel a lack of trust and autonomy to do the work I feel is important or exciting. When I don’t get recognition for the effort I’m giving.
Areas I want to develop:
I'd love coaching on [...]
Career goal discussions:
I’d like to discuss progress towards my career goals by [format] every [frequency]
My preferred feedback style and cadence:
Example: I prefer written feedback versus live/video feedback. My ideal is a Slack message or email with an invitation to followup via video soon after. I need quick resolution to the feedback I receive, so hopping on a call or being responsive via email/Slack is best.
My preferred way to receive recognition:
Example: Public makes me quite self-conscious, so I’d say maybe a 30/70 split of public to private.About Kevan
What makes 1:1s most valuable for me:
My approach to holding 1:1s is to create a space that is trustworthy, worthwhile, and effective for the teammate. I value this time to connect with you and to support you. I don’t have any “blueprint” for how a 1:1 should work. If the teammate gets value from it, then that makes me incredibly happy! In general, I view 1:1s as a dedicated time for you to bring whatever is on your mind. I’ve heard it said that “you get out of a 1:1 what you put into it,” which I agree with mostly (it’s not always so black-and-white, but it’s a good starting point).
My expectations of your contribution to our 1:1s:
I expect you to set your own agenda, track your own notes, and manage follow-ups from our one-on-ones. I will add thoughts from time to time, but the agenda is primarily yours. I’d love for us to figure out the right cadence for more in depth feedback, but please plan to give me feedback on what you need more of or less of from me each week.
One of my weaknesses is:
I can be too hands-off, too soon. If you see me doing this, please nudge me closer to you.
Feedback from you:
Each time we meet I'll ask what you need more of and less of from me so I can adjust to best support you. I prefer to receive feedback asynchronously via Slack or email.Our shared expectations
Cadence:
Let’s do our best to meet every week. We'll set up a recurring calendar event.
Agenda:
The agenda for each one-on-one should be set by [time] before our meeting by [team member and/or manager].
Recurring topics:
Every [insert time], we will review your personal goals or your area goals.
Every [insert time] we will review career growth and development.
Feedback:
Let’s give each other feedback in [style] way and [type of] form
Wins:
Let’s celebrate wins in this way [...]
Here it is as a Notion template →
Staying organized with a 1:1 agenda
Some teammates love a 1:1 agenda. Others find it too much work.
I’ll often suggest an agenda to start with, but ultimately it will be up to the teammate to find the best method for sharing information and coming prepared to get the most out of our time. Everyone is different, so I like to leave room for that individuality in how we organize our notes.
That being said, here’s the boilerplate I typically start from:
Teammate: How are you feeling this week? ❤️ 💛 or 💚
Anything more to add?
Key updates [async]
Things to be aware of
1. This thing
2. That thing
3. This thing also
Topics for discussion
Anything you would like to discuss today
1. Item one
2. Item two
Follow-up items
[ ] This one
[ ] That one
Here it is as a Notion template →
Do you have any favorite 1:1 templates?
I’m always looking to improve and would love to see what you’ve got!
About this newsletter …
Each week, I share playbooks, case studies, stories, and links from inside the startup marketing world. If you enjoy what’s in this newsletter, you can share some love by hitting the heart button at the top or bottom.💙
About Kevan
I’m a marketing exec who specializes in startup marketing and brand-building. I currently lead the marketing team at Polly (we’re hiring!). I previously built brands at Buffer and Vox.
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