Bring More Discipline to Your 1-on-1s

I’ve seen plenty of 1-1s lose value because someone shows up hoping the right conversation will surface once the meeting starts.

Too often, the first 15 minutes of a 1-1 are focused on catching up, with the manager asking questions and the team member trying to piece together the week from memory. By the time they get to what actually needs attention, there isn’t much time left for coaching, feedback, questions, or clear next steps.

Don’t wait until the 1-1 starts to figure out what to bring. Throughout the week, when a question comes up, capture it. When a conversation raises a concern, write it down while the details are still fresh. When something needs a decision, add enough context so you’re not rebuilding the whole thing from memory later.

That gives the meeting a better starting point. Both people can get to the useful part faster: coaching, feedback, decisions, and clear next steps.

This week, Jordan Rogers shares a story about the meeting that taught him this lesson early in his career. I think it's a reminder that's worth revisiting, no matter how long you've been leading people.

Focus Points
“Don’t wait until right before the meeting to prepare. Capture issues as they happen so your agenda builds itself.”
- Jordan Rogers

Prepare for a Better 1-on-1

Jordan Rogers leads Business Intelligence & Advanced Analytics at Ninety. In his latest blog, he shares the story of an early 1-on-1 meeting with a CEO that didn't go as planned because he showed up expecting her to lead the conversation.

That experience changed how he prepares for every meeting. Instead of waiting until the last minute, he captures issues as they happen, builds his agenda throughout the week, and uses Ninety to keep conversations focused on solving problems instead of trying to remember them.

Impact Moments
JBS on Team Health

Jonathan B. Smith, better known as JBS, has facilitated more than 1,500 EOS® sessions since becoming one of Gino Wickman's earliest clients. His perspective is refreshingly simple. The tools are important, but healthy teams determine whether those tools actually work.

In case you missed the latest episode of Impact Moments, JBS shares lessons from decades of facilitation, explains his "EOS® freestyle" approach, and discusses how tactical empathy helps leaders navigate difficult conversations and build stronger leadership teams.

Bring Better Preparation Into Every 1-1

Ninety’s 1-on-1 tool keeps the right context in one place: issues, Rocks, Scorecard measurables, responsibilities, and Quarterly Conversation history. Leaders and their direct reports can walk in prepared, spot trends through Insights, and spend more time coaching instead of rebuilding context.