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Stop Wasting Your One-on-Ones: The 15-Minute Method That Turns Manager Time Into Career Opportunities

Published Date
Author John Julitz

"So... how's everything going?"

If this painfully familiar opener makes you want to bang your head against your desk (or dramatically exit your Zoom call), you're not alone. It's the start of countless one-on-one meetings that meander through small talk before fizzling out into a series of "sounds good" and "keep up the great work."

But what if your next one-on-one could be different?

In case you want the TL;DR version here's your immediate action item; spend just 15 minutes before your next one-on-one doing these three things:

    • 5 minutes: Write down your biggest win and challenge from the past week
    • 5 minutes: Draft two strategic questions you want to ask
    • 5 minutes: Think of one way you'd like to grow in your role

Try this, and I promise your next one-on-one will be noticeably better. Now, let me show you how to transform every one-on-one from here on out.

The Real Purpose of One-on-Ones
Let's first bust the biggest myth about one-on-ones. They are not meetings. They're opportunities. And you're missing them.

Your time with your manager isn't meant to be solely about project updates or quick task check-ins. Those should happen asynchronously through quick face-to-face chats, Teams messages, Slack updates, emails, or whatever project management tool your company has decided is the hot new thing this quarter.

The real magic of one-on-ones lies in the conversations you can't have anywhere else: career development, workplace challenges, big-picture thinking, and relationship building. Think of them as your personal board meeting – a dedicated time to focus on your growth and success.

Before the Meeting: Your Success Blueprint
Start a dedicated note in your favorite app (or, if you’re an old soul like me, go with a notebook) for one-on-one topics. Throughout the week, jot down:

Wins worth sharing

    • "Found a bug that would've cost us $10K" (not "Attended all meetings on time")
    • "Mentored two new team members on our API"

Challenges you're facing

    • Tactical: "The new API is giving me headaches"
    • Strategic: "I'm struggling to balance coding and mentoring"

Questions and ideas

    • "How did you handle your first leadership role?"
    • "What if we tried mob programming for complex features?"
    • "Could we implement async standups for our distributed team?"

At least 24 hours before your meeting, send your manager a brief agenda. It doesn't have to be a novelization of everything you want to say, but having a plan will set you up for success. Here's a simple 30-minute agenda template:

    • Quick wins (5 mins)
    • Current challenges (10 mins)
    • Strategic discussion (10 mins)
    • Action items and next steps (5 mins)

And just like that, you have an agenda that will keep you on point and focused with your manager.

During the Meeting: Making It Count
Begin with something positive – a recent win, a lesson learned, or even a funny story. ("You won't believe what happened when I deployed to production at 4:59 PM on a Friday...") This sets the tone for an open, engaging conversation rather than a formal report.

Instead of generic "how's it going?" conversations, try these thought-provoking questions:

For Career Growth

    • "What skills do you think I should focus on developing next?"
    • "What opportunities do you see coming up that I should prepare for?"
    • "What's one thing you wish you had known at my career stage?" 

For Team Impact

    • "How can we make our team meetings more effective?"
    • "What communication patterns have you seen work best?"
    • "How can I better support our team's goals?"

When tough conversations arise (and they will), remember these principles:

    • Start with data, not emotions: "I've noticed our team's deployment frequency has dropped 30% since implementing the new process."
    • Propose solutions: "I've researched three alternative approaches we could consider..."
    • Ask for their perspective: "I'd love to understand the constraints I might not be seeing." 

After the Meeting: Making It Stick
Immediately after the meeting, spend five minutes documenting:

    • Decisions made (with context – future you will thank present you)
    • Action items (with owners, deadlines, and success criteria)
    • Key insights or advice (especially those career gems your manager casually drops in)
    • Topics to follow up on next time

Nothing builds trust like following through on commitments. Make progress on your action items before the next meeting, even if they're not fully complete. A simple update like "I've started the course we discussed and completed the first module" shows you're serious about your development.

Your Next One-on-One: From "How's it going?" to "What's Next?"
Remember how we started with that dreaded "So... how's everything going?" opener? Here's how your next one-on-one could start instead:
"I'm excited to discuss the API optimization I implemented last week. It's already reduced our error rates by 15%, and I'd love your input on three ideas I have for taking it further. But first, I wanted to get your thoughts on a leadership opportunity I've identified..."

You don't have to transform your one-on-ones overnight. Start with the 15-minute method before your next meeting: review your list, draft your agenda, and reflect on your goals. The best part? When you start having better conversations, your manager will look forward to these meetings as much as you do. And that's when the real opportunities begin to flow.