For employees1-on-1 meetings

What to Talk About in a 1-on-1 With Your Manager

Updated October 27, 2026KAKEAI, Inc.

Short answer

What you talk about with your manager in a 1-on-1 can simply be the work you have right now. You don't need a special topic. In KAKEAI's survey of 10,000 employees in Japan, 33.8% of people who talk about "specific work" in meetings with their manager felt their meetings led to results, a higher rate than people who don't. If you're unsure of the order, start with where your work stands, then name one piece of work that's stuck or one decision you're unsure about. Next, tell your manager yourself what you want from them, such as "I'd like us to think it through together" or "I'd like your opinion." Finally, end by saying, in your own words, what you'll do next.

By the numbers

In KAKEAI's survey of 10,000 employees in Japan, people who talk about work in meetings with their manager were more likely to feel the meetings led to results. In records from Kakeai, KAKEAI's 1-on-1 service, the most common topic chosen before 1-on-1s is work. If you're not sure what to talk about, we recommend picking the work you have right now as your topic and going in with one thing you want from your manager.

33.8%: 10,000-person survey; Among people who talk about "specific work" in meetings with their manager, the share who feel their meetings lead to results; Among people who don't talk about their work, it was 25.4%. People who talk about their work are more likely to feel their meetings lead to results. 76.7% of respondents talk about "specific work."
46.2%: 10,000-person survey; Among people whose top expectation of their manager in meetings is "I want us to think it through together," the share who feel their meetings lead to results; It was 36.8% for "I want to report something" and 8.4% for "I don't particularly expect anything." People who have something they want from their manager are more likely to feel their meetings lead to results.
43.7%: Kakeai AI 1on1 usage data; Share of topics chosen before 1-on-1s that were "work progress and how to proceed"; "Work progress and how to proceed" was the most commonly chosen topic. The next most common of the preset topics, "future career," was 11.4%. Work is a completely ordinary topic for a 1-on-1.

The figures for each expectation, including 46.2%, come from asking people to pick the one thing they most want from their manager in meetings and tallying results by answer. They don't compare how meetings were actually run. The 43.7% figure is the breakdown of topics entered when 1-on-1s were scheduled.

Source: KAKEAI, Inc. “1-on-1 Survey” (N=10,000, May 2026, online survey of employees in Japan)

The survey asked 10,000 employees in Japan who meet their manager regularly how those meetings feel from their side.

Source: KAKEAI, Inc. “Kakeai AI 1on1 usage data” (records of 300,000 1-on-1 sessions extracted from sessions held between October 12, 2025 and October 3, 2026, aggregated so that no company or individual can be identified)

It's fine to talk about the work you're doing right now

A 1-on-1 is a regular meeting between you and your manager, just the two of you. It's also called a one-on-one meeting. What you talk about with your manager there can simply be the work you have on your plate right now. You don't need to prepare a special topic.

In KAKEAI's survey of 10,000 employees in Japan, 76.7% of people talked about "specific work" in meetings with their manager. Of these, 33.8% felt their meetings led to results. Among people who didn't talk about their work, it was 25.4%, so those who did talk about it reported a higher rate. The work in front of you is a perfectly good topic.

Records of 300,000 1-on-1 sessions extracted from Kakeai, KAKEAI's 1-on-1 service, show the same thing: 43.7% of the topics chosen before 1-on-1s were "work progress and how to proceed." For this topic, employees chose "I want to report something" as what they wanted from their manager in 6.3% of all topics chosen. "I want us to think it through together," "I want specific advice," and "I want to hear your opinion" added up to 18.7%. Together, these 3 choices, which ask for the manager's thinking or involvement, come to about 3 times "I want to report something."

Some advice says, "A 1-on-1 isn't for status reports. Discuss work progress somewhere else." KAKEAI doesn't recommend that. A 1-on-1 is time you can use, without hesitation, to move your work forward.

It's also fine if some 1-on-1s are just status updates. In the survey of 10,000 employees, among people who chose "I want to report something" as what they most want from their manager in meetings, 36.8% felt their meetings led to results, above the 31.9% across all respondents.

The highest rate of feeling meetings led to results was among people who chose "I want us to think it through together" (46.2%). Among those who chose "I don't particularly expect anything," it was 8.4%. This suggests that whether you have something you want from your manager matters more for feeling you get results than what you talk about.

An order to try first when you talk with your manager

If you're not sure what to say, try covering these 4 things in this order. It isn't a format that fits every meeting, so if it doesn't feel right, start by rethinking how you handle step 3 (telling your manager what you want from them). If a status update is all you need this time, you can skip steps 2 and 3.

1. Report the results of what you agreed on last time, and where things stand now

The X we talked about last time is done up to Y. I haven't been able to start on Z yet.

2. Name one piece of work that's stuck or one decision you're unsure about

Right now, the thing that's furthest behind is Z. I've been waiting about a week for a reply from the client.
I can't decide whether to go with option A or option B.

If all you say is "Everything's on track," your manager has little to say but "Okay," and the conversation doesn't go anywhere. When everything really is on track, it often helps to talk about what went well or work you'd like to take on next.

3. Tell your manager what you want from them

KAKEAI's survey of 10,000 employees asked people to pick the one thing they most want from their manager in meetings. The most common answer was "it varies from time to time" (20.9%). 12.9% also named "my manager's response is different from what I expect" as a problem with their meetings.

What you want from your manager isn't always the same. Unless you put it into words, it's hard for your manager to guess what you want this time.

KAKEAI believes that both manager and employee share responsibility for what gets discussed in a 1-on-1. Don't wait for your manager to ask. Tell them yourself what you want to talk about and what you want from them.

What you want from your manager	When	Opening line
Think it through together	You don't have an answer yet	I'm stuck on X. I don't have an answer yet, so could we think it through together?
Give specific advice	You don't know how to proceed	I'm not sure how to approach X. Could you tell me where to start?
Share their opinion	You want to know if your plan is okay	I'm planning to go in the direction of X. Could I get your honest opinion?
Make a decision or take action	It's beyond your authority	I don't have the authority to decide this. Could you make the call?
Listen	You want to sort out your thoughts	Today, it would really help if you could just listen first.
Hear your report	You want them to know the situation	Here's how X turned out. I'd just like to confirm whether it's okay to keep going this way.

In Kakeai's records, among what employees chose before 1-on-1s as what they wanted from their manager, "I want you to listen" was 11.7%, the least common of the options. When you want your manager to just listen, don't hesitate to say so.

4. End by saying, in your own words, what you'll do next

So, I'll move X forward by Friday. Could you take care of checking Y?

What you say here becomes the starting point for your next 1-on-1. We also recommend sending a quick note by the day before your next 1-on-1 about what you want to talk about and what you want from your manager. That way, your manager can come prepared too.

In tomorrow's 1-on-1, I'd like your opinion on how to approach X.

1-on-1 topics to bring to your manager, with opening lines

Here are example topics to bring to your manager in a 1-on-1, grouped by area, each with opening lines. One or two topics per meeting is plenty.

Problems in your current work

I'm not sure how to move forward on X, and I've stalled. Could I talk it over with you?
I haven't heard back from X, so I can't move forward. Could you give them a nudge?
I may not make the deadline on X. I'd like to talk about it early.
I keep making mistakes in the same place. Could we figure out the cause together?

Decisions you're unsure about

If you're torn between two options, lay out both. Your manager can then start by comparing them with you.

How much of X can I decide on my own?
A customer asked us for X. Could you decide whether we should take it on?
This time, should I prioritize quality or the deadline?
X and Y have given me conflicting instructions, and I'm not sure whose to follow.

Work you'd like more of, or less of

For work you'd like less of, give your reasons.

I find the X work really rewarding, so I'd like to take on a bit more of it.
Right now X is taking up so much time that my other work isn't moving. Could we talk about ways to lighten the load?
I think this task could take less time if we changed how we do it. Could I try that?

Things that went well

Work you finished where your manager wasn't watching won't reach them unless you mention it.

The X project wrapped up successfully last week. I'd like to sort out what went well. Could I walk you through it?
I completed X on my own for the first time. Next, I'd like to take on something a bit more challenging.

Skills to build and your future career

I'd like to build my skills in X. What kind of experience should I get?
At some point, I'd like to work on X. Is there anything I should start on now?
When you were at about my career stage, how did you think about your future career?

How you work, and your health

Bring it up early, before you hit your limit. You don't have to explain every detail. It's fine to share only how it affects your work and what you'd like to ask for.

I've been working a lot of overtime, and the fatigue isn't going away. I'd like to talk about my workload for this month.
Because of a family situation, there will be days for a while when I need to leave by a certain time. Could we talk about it?
I need to take a few mornings off each month for medical appointments. Would that be possible?

Working with your team and others

Talk about what's happening and where it's getting in the way of the work, not about who's at fault.

X and I don't see eye to eye on how to do things, and handoffs keep having to be redone. Could you step in?
I find it hard to speak up in meetings. I'd like to talk about what I could do.
I don't feel my role on the team is clear. Could we go over what I'm responsible for?

What to bring up first, by situation

If it's hard to pick from the topic examples, choose the situation closest to yours from the table below.

Situation	What to bring up first	Opening line
A twice-yearly meeting that centers on your evaluation	Add one question about your current work	After we talk about my evaluation, could I ask about one thing in my current work?
Weekly or biweekly meetings where you're running out of topics	The results of what you agreed last time, and the work that's furthest behind	Today, I'd like to talk about Y, which is furthest behind.
Your manager talks so long you run out of time to speak	Say what you want to discuss as soon as the meeting starts	Could I raise one thing first? Today I'd like your decision on X.
Your manager stays in listening mode and doesn't share opinions	Say you want to hear their thinking	From here, could I also hear your opinion?
Time is short because of month-end or term-end	Just one thing that needs your manager's decision	Could I have just 5 minutes? For X, should I go with option A or option B?
Online, where it's hard to read their reaction	After you speak, ask whether it came across	Is there anything about the approach I just described that concerns you?
Other people are around, so it's hard to talk	Only ask to move somewhere else	There's one thing I'd like to discuss somewhere private. Could I have about 10 minutes?
Right after you get a new manager	The work you're handling now, and where it's stuck	Let me walk you through the 3 things I'm handling now and where each one stands.

In KAKEAI's survey of 10,000 employees, 67.6% of people who meet their manager once every six months to a year talked about their performance evaluation. Comparing people within this group, 21.6% of those who talk about "specific work" felt their meetings led to results. Among those who don't, it was 15.8%. Even at this frequency, people who talk about their work are more likely to feel their meetings lead to results. Even in meetings that center on evaluation, it often helps to add one question about your current work.

Opening lines for things that are hard to say to your manager

You don't have to take a hard topic all the way to a conclusion. Sharing one fact and one request is enough.

In KAKEAI's survey of 10,000 employees, 21.8% chose at least one of these 3 as a problem with their meetings: "I can't bring up what I want to or should talk about," "I worry about how it will affect my evaluation or how I'm seen, so I can't say what I really think," and "there's no trust with my manager, so I don't feel safe talking."

Your manager is also the person who evaluates you, so what you say in a 1-on-1 may affect your evaluation. Even so, we recommend raising delays and heavy workloads early. The sooner your manager knows, the more time the two of you have to reshuffle priorities or adjust deadlines together.

Your workload is too heavy

If you just say "It's a lot," your manager can't judge which work to cut. List all the work you currently have.

Right now I'm working on X, Y, and Z at the same time, and they all look like they'll be late. Could we talk about priorities?
To be honest, I don't think I can keep up with my current workload as it is.
Are any of these deadlines flexible, or could any of them go to someone else?

You're worried about your evaluation and hesitant to speak up, or you disagree with it

If you disagree with your evaluation, before asking for it to be reconsidered, ask for the reasons behind it and what you'd need to do by the next evaluation. Don't wait for the twice-yearly meeting. Bring up your evaluation in your regular 1-on-1s.

I'm sorry I'm late in telling you. It was hard to bring up. X is behind schedule.
Could you tell me a bit more about the reasons for this evaluation?
I thought I'd done well on X. I'd like to know where I fell short.
What would I need to have done by the next evaluation?
How does my current work on X look against the evaluation criteria?

Requests for your manager

Talk about the situation that caused a problem and how it affected your work, not about your manager's personality, and add one request.

When you hand me work, it would help if you could also tell me the deadline.
Instructions keep changing partway through, so I'm redoing more work. When something looks likely to change, could you let me know early?
When I get corrected in front of everyone, my mind goes blank. If possible, could you tell me one-on-one?
When there are a lot of check-ins, it actually slows me down. Could we agree in advance on when to check in?
With work you hand me, I sometimes worry about whether I'm heading in the right direction. Could you take a look once partway through?

You've started thinking about a transfer or leaving

It's fine to bring up a transfer or leaving before you've made up your mind. However, what you say may affect your evaluation or the work you're given. Before you start, ask your manager who else will hear about it, and then decide how much to share. For the procedures after you've decided to leave, read your company's policies and check with HR.

Before I bring something up, I'd like to ask: who will this be shared with?
I haven't decided anything yet, but I'm unsure about how I want to work going forward.
I'd like to try other kinds of work. How should I go about requesting a transfer?

If you feel you're being harassed, or if physical or mental health problems are continuing, don't force yourself to bring it up in a 1-on-1 with your manager. Look in your company's policies or internal resources for people to talk to other than your manager, such as HR, an internal help line, or an occupational health professional.

Look back on whether you said what you needed to, by what happened next

Whether you managed to talk with your manager is judged by whether what you discussed led to action afterward. Here are 3 things to check.

At the end of the 1-on-1, was your next step put in your own words?
For what you asked your manager to do, did the two of you agree on when it would happen?
Can you start your next 1-on-1 with an update like "Here's how X from last time turned out"?

In KAKEAI's survey of 10,000 employees, 9.4% said their meetings lead to action "every time." Of these, 75.5% felt their meetings led to results. Among people who said "about half the time," it was 15.7%. Feeling that meetings lead to results depended much more on whether the meetings led to action than on what was discussed, and it was higher for people whose meetings did.

After a 1-on-1 where none of the 3 applied, try making it your only goal next time to end with one sentence like "I'll move X forward by Friday."

What Kakeai AI 1on1 can do in this situation

If your company uses Kakeai AI 1on1, here is what you can do.

Before the 1-on-1

Choosing a topic and the response you'd like
Before a 1-on-1, you can choose the topic you want to discuss and how you would like your manager to respond (the expected response). Your selections also appear on your manager's screen.
Sharing notes in advance
Before a 1-on-1, you can write what you want to talk about in the "Notes for This 1-on-1" section. What you write also appears on your manager's screen.

Day to day

Summaries and next steps in one place
The summary of each 1-on-1 is collected on the "Schedule & History" screen, and the next steps you decided are collected on the "MOVE" screen. You can look back at them anytime.

Before the 1-on-1

Specific pre-meeting advice based on past 1-on-1s
Before your next 1-on-1, you see "Pre-1-on-1 AI Advice" based on your past 1-on-1s and the preparation for this one. This advice is written for you. Your manager sees different advice written for them.

Kakeai AI 1on1 is currently available in Japanese. If you would like to use it in English, let us know.

Used by 600+ companies / 3,000,000+ 1-on-1s supported

Frequently asked questions

I told my manager in a 1-on-1 that I wanted to think something through together, but they said "Try figuring it out yourself." What should I do?

If your manager tells you to figure it out yourself, prepare 2 ideas of your own and ask which one they think is better. For example: "I've come up with two options. Could you just tell me which you think is better?" If you still can't get their opinion, it often helps to tell them how you plan to proceed, such as "I'll go ahead with option A by Friday. Let me know if there's a problem."

Can what I say to my manager in a 1-on-1 affect my performance evaluation?

What you say to your manager in a 1-on-1 may affect your performance evaluation, because your manager is also the person who evaluates you. In KAKEAI's survey of 10,000 employees in Japan, among people who named "I worry about how it will affect my evaluation or how I'm seen, so I can't say what I really think" as a problem with their meetings, 32.7% felt their meetings led to results. That's about the same as the 31.9% across all respondents.

What should I do when I can't think of anything to talk about with my manager in a 1-on-1?

When nothing comes to mind, try starting with the results of what you agreed on last time. If there's nothing there either, pick the one piece of your current work that's furthest behind. If everything is on track, another option is to ask your manager about future work, such as "Is there any work you might be able to hand me next?"

Is it okay for me, as the employee, to decide the topics for a 1-on-1?

It's fine to suggest 1-on-1 topics yourself. When your manager has set a topic for that meeting, add after it, "There's one more thing I'd like to talk through." Choosing topics isn't only your manager's job, or only yours. Even for topics your manager raises, try answering in a way that includes what you want from them.

If there's no 1-on-1 scheduled, is it okay to ask my manager for one?

Even if nothing is scheduled, it's perfectly fine to ask your manager for a 1-on-1. Include what it's about and how long you need, such as "I'm stuck on a decision about X. Could I have about 15 minutes?" In KAKEAI's survey of 10,000 employees in Japan, the most common main reason for having meetings with a manager was "to move my own work forward," chosen by 34.5%. If you want to talk something through to move your work forward, there's no need to hold back.

Sources and how to cite these figures