Most 1:1s turn into a status update. You run through what you're working on, your manager nods, someone says "anything else?", and you both get 25 minutes of your week back.

That's a waste of the one meeting on your calendar that's actually about you. Status updates can live in Slack. Your 1:1 is where you find out what's really going on, what your manager needs, and what it would take to grow.

These are the questions worth bringing. Not all at once: pick one or two per 1:1 and rotate.

1. "What's one thing I could do to make your job easier?"

It sounds almost too simple, but it tells your manager you're thinking past your own to-do list. You'll also hear what's weighing on them, which is usually the work that gets noticed.

2. "What does great look like in this role six months from now?"

Job descriptions are written once and forgotten. This gets you the real bar, in your manager's words, so you're not guessing what "exceeding expectations" means at review time.

3. "Where am I adding the most value, and the least?"

This is honest calibration without the anxious "am I doing okay?" version. The second half matters most. It's how you find the work you can drop, delegate, or do differently.

4. "What's keeping you up at night right now?"

The fastest way to learn what actually matters to the business this quarter. If you can help with even a piece of it, you've found your next big project.

5. "Is there anything you've heard about my work that I should know?"

Feedback travels. Asking this directly surfaces it while you can still do something about it, instead of the first time you hear it being in your review.

6. "What would you need to see to support me for promotion?"

The one almost nobody asks. It turns a vague hope into a checklist, and it makes your manager say out loud what they're looking for. Write the answer down, and bring it back up every few months.

Make it a habit, not a one-off

• Keep a running doc. Agenda, notes, and follow-ups in one place, so every 1:1 builds on the last one.
• Write down what you both promised. Then do your half before the next one.
• Silence is fine. Ask the question, then let them think. The second answer is usually the honest one.

My free 1:1 template is built for exactly this: an agenda, notes, and follow-ups that carry over week to week.

I'd start with number 6. Tell me which one you're bringing to your next 1:1 →