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Running One-on-Ones

One-on-ones are the foundation of effective performance management. They create regular space for coaching, feedback, goal alignment, and relationship building.

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Setting up a one-on-one

To create a one-on-one in Topicflow:

1. Go to Meetings and click “New Meeting”
2. Select “One-on-one” as the meeting type
3. Choose the participant (your direct report or manager)
4. Set the recurrence (typically weekly or bi-weekly)
5. Optionally connect your calendar to sync meeting times

Once created, the one-on-one becomes a persistent space where agendas, notes, and action items accumulate over time. If you already have one-on-one documents from another tool or from past conversations, you can import them into an existing meeting series using the Import 1-on-1 button. This brings your historical notes into Topicflow so everything lives in one place.

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Before the meeting

Review context Topicflow automatically surfaces:

• Open action items from previous meetings
• Recent work activity (commits, PRs, completed tasks, etc.)
• Stale or off-track goals
• Recent feedback given or received

Add agenda items Both participants can add topics to the agenda:

• Progress on specific goals or projects
• Blockers or challenges
• Feedback to give or request
• Career development topics
• Team dynamics or process issues

Use Topicflow AI Topicflow AI can suggest talking points:

• “What has [person] been working on recently?”
• “Are there any stale goals or overdue action items?”
• “What feedback has [person] received this quarter?”

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During the meeting

Start with the human check-in Begin with how the person is doing, not just what they’re working on. Performance management works best when the relationship is strong. Work through the agenda Go through prepared topics, but stay flexible. If something important comes up, let the conversation go there. Take notes Capture key points, decisions, and observations in the meeting notes. These become a shared record that both participants can reference. Create action items When commitments are made, turn them into action items:

• “I’ll review the design doc by Friday” → action item
• “Let’s schedule time with the product team” → action item
• “I’ll think about next quarter’s goals” → action item

Action items ensure follow-through and surface in the next meeting’s agenda. Give feedback One-on-ones are ideal for continuous feedback. When you notice something worth reinforcing or addressing, say it directly and document it. You can formalize feedback given in the meeting by creating a feedback item, which will be visible during performance reviews.

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After the meeting

Review and clean up notes Make sure action items are assigned and have due dates if needed. Share or summarize Notes are visible to both participants by default. If the conversation included decisions that affect others, you can share relevant points. Follow up on action items Open action items automatically surface in the next meeting, creating a natural accountability loop.

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Common one-on-one patterns

Manager-driven agendas (early in relationship)

• Manager prepares most of the agenda
• Focus on clarity, expectations, and feedback
• Gradually shift ownership to the direct report

Employee-driven agendas (mature relationship)

• Direct report owns the agenda and comes prepared
• Manager acts as coach, sounding board, and escalation path
• Topics tend to be strategic, forward-looking, and developmental

Balanced agendas (most common)

• Both participants add topics
• Mix of updates, coaching, feedback, and planning
• Responsive to what’s happening week-to-week

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What to discuss in one-on-ones

Short-term (tactical)

• Progress on current work
• Blockers and how to resolve them
• Coordination with other teams
• Immediate feedback

Medium-term (goals and growth)

• Goal progress and adjustments
• Skill development
• Project ownership opportunities
• Process improvements

Long-term (career and direction)

• Career aspirations
• Strengths and growth areas
• Organizational changes
• Big-picture alignment

Effective one-on-ones balance all three time horizons, not just short-term status updates.

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How one-on-ones connect to performance

One-on-ones are where most performance management actually happens:

• Continuous feedback replaces the need for surprise critiques in reviews
• Goal discussions keep objectives relevant and progress visible
• Coaching moments build skills over time, not just during reviews
• Relationship building makes difficult conversations possible

When review time comes, both participants already know where things stand because it’s been discussed regularly.

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What’s next