• Topics in a 1:1 should be about professional growth, personal connection and for giving each other feedback. Do not use the meeting to re-hash things from a group meeting, unless there are specific things you took off-line in that meeting or need to provide/get constructive feedback.
• 24 hours or so before the meeting, email the employee a list of what you’d like to cover. Try to do a split between strategic, tactical and personal items and always ask your employee what they want to cover too. 

• Walk through the agenda. Ask if there’s anything else to add before you dig in. 
• If there are hard things to discuss , try to bookend it with 2 positive topics. That way, the close of the meeting doesn’t leave your employee feeling down. 
• Do not monopolize the conversation. This is for you each to get time to talk. 
• Always end the meeting asking them how things are going overall and if there is anything else you can do to make them successful. 

It is important to always follow up any 1:1  with notes on what was discussed, decisions made and, if relevant, any constructive feedback that will be measured going forward. Keep it short and sweet.