Your one-on-one meetings with your manager are invaluable opportunities to check in, get feedback, and discuss your growth and development. With so much ground to cover, it can be tricky to know what kinds of questions to ask.
To help make the most of your next manager one-on-one, here are 20 thoughtful questions to spur discussion:
Start, Stop, Continue
- What would you like me to start doing? Understanding new areas your manager wants you to focus on provides helpful guidance.
- What would you like me to stop doing? If there are any unhelpful habits or activities your manager wants you to discontinue, discussing this openly allows you to align expectations.
- What would you like me to continue doing? Getting affirmation around your strengths helps you leverage them moving forward.
Asking your manager for this structured feedback helps reveal ways you can improve while also reinforcing the things you’re doing well.
Given my skills and interests, what role do you see for me in the future of this company?
Getting insight into how your manager views your long-term trajectory at the company can reveal growth opportunities you may not have considered. This big-picture question also allows you to have an open discussion about your career path at the organisation.
What do you think would be beneficial for me to work on?
Managers have helpful perspective into skills or competencies you could develop to take your performance to the next level. Whether it’s public speaking, executive presence, or business acumen, their insights into areas for growth can guide your learning.
What extra responsibilities do you think will be beneficial for me to take on?
Volunteering for incremental stretch assignments helps build your capabilities. Understanding what added responsibilities your manager thinks could expand your skills and experiences can point you toward impactful opportunities.
What training do you think I should be doing for my career or personal development, and do you have any recommendations?
Relevant training and courses are invaluable for continually developing new capabilities. Getting your manager’s take can surface options aligned to your goals that you may not have considered.
What do you think my blind spots are?
Because blind spots, by definition, are areas where we lack self-awareness, your manager’s candor is crucial. Creating space for this transparent feedback will allow you to work thoughtfully on self-improvement.
What do you think might be holding me back from progression?
Similarly, your manager can share candid insights into things that may be limiting your advancement or development, from skill gaps to ineffective work habits. This provides a chance to address them.
What do you think I should focus on in the next month, the next 3 months, and the next 6 months?
Getting clear direction on your manager’s short and mid-term priorities for you helps align your efforts to meaningful goals. It also gives you helpful timeframes for delivering progress.
Is there anyone in the company you think I can benefit from shadowing and learning from?
Identifying colleagues, mentors, or subject matter experts you can learn from makes it easier to seek out knowledge-sharing opportunities. Your manager can point you toward useful connections.
What are the team’s priorities for the next 3 months, and what do you think my priorities should be to tie into that?
Keeping your individual goals and tasks aligned to the team’s overall objectives helps maximize your impact. This question allows you to have an open discussion about how your work can best contribute.
What would you like me to do or achieve before our next one-on-one?
Getting clarity around your manager’s specific expectations sets you up to deliver concrete results by the time you connect again. It also provides helpful motivation.
How would you like to receive updates about my work?
Everyone has different preferences around communication cadence and style. Understanding your manager’s needs makes it easier to keep them appropriately informed without over- or under-communicating.
What do you want me to keep you updated on and how often?
Along with how they prefer to be updated, asking your manager what aspects of your work they specifically want regular updates on provides helpful guidance for you both.
If I do have any more capacity, is there any team or area that would benefit from me as an extra resource?
Demonstrating initiative by volunteering yourself where needed builds goodwill with your manager while allowing you to gain broader experience. Having this discussion can uncover opportunities.
How do you see my role evolving in the next year?
Getting your manager’s vision for your growth over the next year helps you shape goals and development plans. Their insights can reveal milestones to aim for.
Is there a skill that I could develop that would benefit both me and the team?
Seeking your manager’s perspective on skills that align to team needs prevents you from pursuing development that may not be as relevant. Their insights can help you select growth areas with the most impact.
What are your expectations of me in this role?
Getting clarity around your manager’s specific expectations prevents confusion and misalignment down the road. You can also surface any areas where your responsibilities may need a better definition.
Are there any external resources – books, podcasts, videos – you recommend I look at?
Managers often have great recommendations around books to read or skills to develop. Tapping into their knowledge base can point you toward helpful resources you may have overlooked.
Do you have any advice you can give me for my role?
Your manager’s experience equips them to share wisdom relevant to your situation. Take this opportunity to ask for their candid guidance around how you can thrive and grow.
Is there anything I can be doing to positively impact the team?
Finally, looking beyond your individual contributions to explore how you could better support the team demonstrates your collaborative spirit and servant leadership. Your manager will appreciate your desire to uplift others.
The more effectively you can leverage your one-on-one meetings, the more you’ll benefit from your manager’s guidance and feedback. As you implement the insights gained, you’ll see positive outcomes over time – from achieving key goals to progressing toward your long-term career aspirations. So take the opportunity to have thoughtful, substantial conversations, and watch your growth flourish.
