University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

One-on-one meetings are organized around a three-part agenda: a Check-in, the Report's agenda, and a Forward look. The opening check-in lasts approximately five minutes, the direct report's agenda comprises the central and largest portion of the meeting, and the forward look concludes the final five minutes.

Three-Part Structure of One-on-One Meetings

According to the three-part one-on-one meeting structure, which segment constitutes the central and largest portion of the meeting?

The check-in is the opening five-minute phase of a one-on-one meeting. During this stage, the team lead inquires into how the direct report is doing personally and outside of their day-to-day work tasks, rather than initiating immediate project or status discussions.

One-on-One Meeting Check-In

The forward look is the final five-minute segment of a one-on-one meeting where the lead and report agree on one or two concrete next steps, assigning an owner and a deadline to each. These commitments are recorded in a shared document accessible to both participants, and each subsequent meeting begins by reviewing these prior action items before addressing any new topics.

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