Give the conversation a focus.
A recurring check-in is a place to understand what is happening, offer useful support, and agree on what comes next. A small amount of preparation makes room for a better conversation.
Before you meet, each person can add three notes to a shared agenda: one thing that moved forward, one point of friction, and one question worth discussing. Choose a priority together at the start. Keep routine updates brief so there is time to work through it.
Start here: “What would make this conversation useful for you today?”
Bring a concrete example when you need feedback or a decision. Describe what happened, what you have tried, and the support you would find helpful.
Try this 30-minute agenda.
Use these timings as a starting point. Agree together when a topic needs more space.
- 5 min
- Arrive and choose a focus.What is taking most of your attention? Which question matters most today?
- 7 min
- Notice progress.What moved forward? What helped, and what can you learn from it?
- 10 min
- Work through one obstacle.Where would advice, a decision, or practical support make a difference? Explore the options before choosing an action.
- 5 min
- Make room for development.What would you like to learn, practice, or take on? What support would make that possible?
- 3 min
- Agree on the next steps.What will each person do, by when, and when will you revisit it?
You do not need to ask every question. Follow the topic you agreed on, listen for what is unclear, and check that you have understood before offering a solution.
Leave with an agreement you can use.
Capture the decisions in a few lines: the priority, the action, the owner, the date, and any support needed. Read the agreement back together. An action should be specific enough that both people can tell whether it happened.
Example: “I will confirm who owns the project handoff by Thursday. You will send the two questions that are holding up the work. We will revisit the handoff at our next check-in.”
Begin the next conversation by reviewing those commitments. If something changed, update the agreement and explain why. Keep the worksheet focused on decisions and next steps that you both need.
Further reading: Google re:Work on developing managers.
Put it into practice
Make space for a useful conversation.
Bring a leadership question, a point of friction, or the next step you want to clarify. A Check In with Toni gives you 30 minutes to talk it through.
Book a Check In · 30 minutes
