Ask for Guidance and Input
Use these questions to get help from your manager on any tasks or projects you are having difficulty with, or to express your need for additional resources, input, or support.
- I am having some challenges and struggles with X. Can you help me think about how to navigate and address X successfully?
- Could you suggest any ideas and thoughts around how I could get more support (people, time, funding) to help with Y?
- What do you think of my idea Z? Do you have any suggestions for how to improve it? Or, might you have an alternative idea I should consider?
Clarify Priorities and Expectations
To be sure you are on track and working efficiently, make sure you and your manager are on the same page. Ask for clarification on what tasks need your most focused attention from their point of view.
- Given what is on my plate, what should I be prioritizing right now, and can you help me understand why?
- As you review my workload, am I taking on the right projects and tasks?
- Am I on track for meeting my goals and your expectations from your perspective? Is any refocusing necessary?
- Is there any context I might be missing about the projects I am working on? For example, what is the reasoning for doing project X?
Align with the Organization and Its Strategy
Ask questions to understand how your role relates to the broader strategic goals of the organization and the way its leaders are thinking about the future.
- What is going on further up the tree (or in other parts of the organization) that would be helpful for me to know as I work on my key tasks?
- To better help me understand the big picture, how does the work I’m doing or the assignment you just gave me fit into the broader goals and strategy?
- Is there anything that the management team is working on or considering that you think I should know about at present given its potential impact on my role?
- What is new in our strategic priorities as a company that you feel I should know about, if anything?
Seek Growth Opportunities and Career Advancement
Come to the meeting with your thinking (however inchoate) around your professional short-term and long-term goals and ask your manager what steps you should take to get there.
- I would value your counsel. What can I do to prepare myself for greater opportunities or to pursue X interest of mine?
- As you reflect on where the organization is going, do you have any thoughts on how I should improve and develop to best align?
- What strengths do you think I have and how might they be helpful in the future?
- From your perspective, what should I be targeting as my next career move and why do you recommend that position?
- How can we make sure that my skillset is put to the best use to support the team and the organization?
- How can we make sure that my full potential is achieved?
Get Feedback on Your Performance
Check in with your manager to see how you are doing, performance-wise. You shouldn’t make every meeting into an official performance evaluation, but it is important to periodically check in and calibrate if your manager isn’t doing that themselves.
- Am I meeting your expectations? I would relish learning your perspective on my work performance.
- What feedback might you be able to share with me about how I’m doing at X or Y task?
- Do you feel I have any spots I’m overlooking when it comes to A or B?
- As you reflect on what I do at work, what should I start, stop, or continue doing?
Build a Relationship
Your 1:1 is a critical place for you to build and nurture your relationship with your manager. Allocate time at the beginning or end of the meeting to connect with your manager personally.
- How is your day going?
- How are things going for you overall? Are you doing ok?
- What is something you are excited about outside of work?
- Is there anything you would like to know about me? (If needed, be prepared to say “I don’t feel comfortable sharing that, but here’s something else you should know about me.”)
Offer Support
Consider ways in which you can help your manager achieve their goals and fulfill their role. Managers need assistance, reassurance, and support to optimize their efficiency and performance. Just like you’d expect your manager to support you, see how you can lend them a hand. This will also increase the chances of you getting what you need in the 1:1.
- What are your priorities over the next X days? What can I do to help you with this?
- Where can I offer you support?
- Is there anything keeping you up at night that I can help with?
Source: 28 Questions to Ask Your Boss in Your One-on-Ones
Subject: Personal and Career Development
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