1 on 1 meeting template: agree the agenda before you meet

A weekly 1 on 1 shrinks to small talk when neither person comes prepared. I like a short written prompt first. It gives the report a chance to think, and gives the manager something real to open with.

Last week and this week. Wins since the last meeting, how the agreed actions are going and a mood rating. The meeting starts with good news and a pulse.

Blockers and decisions. What is in the way, and any decision needed from the manager. These are the items that cannot wait.

Growth and feedback. Topics to cover from a pick-all list, a skill to build and one thing the manager could do differently. Ask the last one every time, so it feels normal.

Who fills it and who reads it

The report fills it in, and the manager reads it as CSV or JSON. A report's AI might ask: "How are you doing this week, from 1 to 5?" Then "What is blocking you?" Then "What would you like to talk about?" It shows every answer and sends only after a yes. See agent-fillable forms.

A tip

Filter the CSV by name before the meeting and read the last two mood scores and blockers. A dropping score is your opening question. Check whether the meetings themselves help with a meeting feedback template. When a growth goal needs a course, use a training registration form. More in forms for HR and recruiting.

Questions

Who fills in the form, me or my report?

Your report fills it in before the meeting and you read it. You can fill one in too, on the same link, to share what you want to raise.

Can I keep a running history for one person?

Yes. Each meeting is one response with a date. Download the CSV and filter on the person's name to see wins, blockers and moods over time.

Does it replace the conversation?

No. It prepares the conversation. Use the answers to start the talk, then write your own notes and agreements wherever your team keeps them.

Or paste the JSON

Give this to your AI. It needs the AI Form API MCP server or an API key. It makes the form and sends you the link.

text

Create this form with the AI Form API create_form tool (or POST https://aiformapi.com/v1/forms with my API key). Then reply with the public_url.

{
  "title": "Before our 1 on 1",
  "description": "Fill this in before we meet so we can spend the time on what matters to you.",
  "fields": [
    {
      "id": "report_name",
      "label": "Your name",
      "type": "short_text",
      "required": true,
      "max_length": 150
    },
    {
      "id": "meeting_date",
      "label": "Date of our meeting",
      "type": "date",
      "required": true
    },
    {
      "id": "mood_rating",
      "label": "How are you doing this week?",
      "type": "rating",
      "required": true,
      "help": "1 is struggling, 5 is great.",
      "min": 1,
      "max": 5
    },
    {
      "id": "since_last_time",
      "label": "What has gone well since we last met?",
      "type": "long_text",
      "max_length": 1500
    },
    {
      "id": "agreed_actions",
      "label": "How are the things we agreed last time going?",
      "type": "long_text",
      "max_length": 1500
    },
    {
      "id": "blockers",
      "label": "What is blocking you?",
      "type": "long_text",
      "max_length": 1500
    },
    {
      "id": "decision_needed",
      "label": "A decision you need from me",
      "type": "long_text",
      "max_length": 1000
    },
    {
      "id": "topics_to_cover",
      "label": "What would you like to talk about?",
      "type": "multi_choice",
      "options": [
        "Workload",
        "Priorities",
        "Career growth",
        "Feedback for me",
        "Team issues",
        "Tools",
        "Pay or role",
        "Wellbeing"
      ]
    },
    {
      "id": "growth_goal",
      "label": "A skill you want to build",
      "type": "short_text",
      "max_length": 300
    },
    {
      "id": "manager_feedback",
      "label": "One thing I could do differently as your manager",
      "type": "long_text",
      "max_length": 1000
    },
    {
      "id": "needs_longer",
      "label": "I would like longer this time",
      "type": "checkbox"
    }
  ]
}

Or call the API

bash

curl -X POST https://aiformapi.com/v1/forms \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $AIFORMAPI_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"title":"Before our 1 on 1","description":"Fill this in before we meet so we can spend the time on what matters to you.","fields":[{"id":"report_name","label":"Your name","type":"short_text","required":true,"max_length":150},{"id":"meeting_date","label":"Date of our meeting","type":"date","required":true},{"id":"mood_rating","label":"How are you doing this week?","type":"rating","required":true,"help":"1 is struggling, 5 is great.","min":1,"max":5},{"id":"since_last_time","label":"What has gone well since we last met?","type":"long_text","max_length":1500},{"id":"agreed_actions","label":"How are the things we agreed last time going?","type":"long_text","max_length":1500},{"id":"blockers","label":"What is blocking you?","type":"long_text","max_length":1500},{"id":"decision_needed","label":"A decision you need from me","type":"long_text","max_length":1000},{"id":"topics_to_cover","label":"What would you like to talk about?","type":"multi_choice","options":["Workload","Priorities","Career growth","Feedback for me","Team issues","Tools","Pay or role","Wellbeing"]},{"id":"growth_goal","label":"A skill you want to build","type":"short_text","max_length":300},{"id":"manager_feedback","label":"One thing I could do differently as your manager","type":"long_text","max_length":1000},{"id":"needs_longer","label":"I would like longer this time","type":"checkbox"}]}'

JSON definition

json

{
  "title": "Before our 1 on 1",
  "description": "Fill this in before we meet so we can spend the time on what matters to you.",
  "fields": [
    {
      "id": "report_name",
      "label": "Your name",
      "type": "short_text",
      "required": true,
      "max_length": 150
    },
    {
      "id": "meeting_date",
      "label": "Date of our meeting",
      "type": "date",
      "required": true
    },
    {
      "id": "mood_rating",
      "label": "How are you doing this week?",
      "type": "rating",
      "required": true,
      "help": "1 is struggling, 5 is great.",
      "min": 1,
      "max": 5
    },
    {
      "id": "since_last_time",
      "label": "What has gone well since we last met?",
      "type": "long_text",
      "max_length": 1500
    },
    {
      "id": "agreed_actions",
      "label": "How are the things we agreed last time going?",
      "type": "long_text",
      "max_length": 1500
    },
    {
      "id": "blockers",
      "label": "What is blocking you?",
      "type": "long_text",
      "max_length": 1500
    },
    {
      "id": "decision_needed",
      "label": "A decision you need from me",
      "type": "long_text",
      "max_length": 1000
    },
    {
      "id": "topics_to_cover",
      "label": "What would you like to talk about?",
      "type": "multi_choice",
      "options": [
        "Workload",
        "Priorities",
        "Career growth",
        "Feedback for me",
        "Team issues",
        "Tools",
        "Pay or role",
        "Wellbeing"
      ]
    },
    {
      "id": "growth_goal",
      "label": "A skill you want to build",
      "type": "short_text",
      "max_length": 300
    },
    {
      "id": "manager_feedback",
      "label": "One thing I could do differently as your manager",
      "type": "long_text",
      "max_length": 1000
    },
    {
      "id": "needs_longer",
      "label": "I would like longer this time",
      "type": "checkbox"
    }
  ]
}

1 on 1 meeting template for managers and reports