Running better 1:1s

Most engineering managers run 1:1s with good intentions but lose track of action items between meetings. The pattern is familiar: you agree on something in the meeting, write it in a Google Doc or Notion page, and then miss it because it's buried in notes from three weeks ago.

The result is direct reports feel unheard. You feel disorganized. The 1:1 cycle repeats without progress.

Mid-Manager's 1:1 module exists to break this cycle. Action items live alongside meeting notes, carry forward automatically, and surface in Today when overdue. You can't miss them even if you try.

Go to 1:1s in the sidebar and click "New 1:1". Select the direct report from your team list. Set a cadence — weekly, bi-weekly, or custom.

Mid-Manager creates a persistent 1:1 thread for this person. Every meeting you have will be logged here, building up a running history of:

- Meeting notes — what you discussed, in your own words - Action items — specific tasks with owner and due date - Status — which items are open, resolved, or overdue

You do not need a separate doc. Everything for this relationship lives in one place.

Open the 1:1 for your next meeting and scan the action items section. You'll immediately see:

- What was agreed last time - What's been resolved since then - What's still open or overdue

That two-minute scan replaces the "let me pull up my notes from last time" scramble. You walk into the meeting already knowing the context.

Tip: If the Focus Engine surfaced this person's overdue follow-up in Today, click through from there — it will take you directly to the right 1:1 with the flagged item highlighted.

You do not need to remember to update things after the meeting. The best habit is to add notes and action items as you talk.

For each topic:

1. Add a short note capturing the discussion (2–3 sentences max) 2. If an action is agreed, click "Add action item" — set the text, owner (you or them), and due date 3. Mark previous items resolved as they come up in conversation

The meeting log is not a transcript — it's a lightweight record of decisions and commitments. Bullet points are fine.

After the 1:1 ends, scan the new action items once more and confirm they make sense. Then close the meeting.

Unresolved items automatically carry forward to the next meeting in the same thread. If anything has a due date that's within a week, the Focus Engine will surface it in Today before it's overdue.

You do not need to maintain a separate tracking system. The 1:1 module is the tracking system.

If a 1:1 action item is overdue, you'll see a card in Today: "1:1 follow-up overdue — [Name]". The card shows you which person, which item, and how overdue it is.

Click through to the 1:1 to resolve, reassign, or update the due date. The card disappears from Today once the item is marked resolved or given a new due date.

This is the safety net. Even if you forget to check 1:1s between meetings, the Focus Engine brings overdue items to your attention automatically. Nothing falls through the cracks.

Keep notes short: You don't need full sentences. "Discussed promotion timeline — target H2, Alex to update growth doc by EOW" is enough.

One action per topic: If a topic generates three action items, that's a sign the topic was too broad. Break it down.

Review before, not during: The 2-minute scan before the meeting means you're not spending the first 5 minutes of the 1:1 reading old notes. Use that time to connect.

Let your report log too: Mid-Manager supports action items from both sides. Encourage your direct reports to add their own action items so ownership is explicit.

Weekly cadence wins: Weekly 1:1s surface issues faster than bi-weekly. If you can only do bi-weekly, keep them long enough (45–60 min) to cover what a weekly would.