For managersOther meetings with direct reports

What Should a Manager Say in a 1-on-1? 5 Things to Cover

Updated October 27, 2026KAKEAI, Inc.

Short answer

In a 1-on-1 with a direct report, what a manager should share is less about announcements and more about their own view. We recommend 5 things: what you notice about their work, your take on the company's direction, what you care about most in their evaluation, the next work you'd like to hand them, and what you will take on yourself. In KAKEAI's survey of 10,000 employees in Japan, 33.3% of people who discuss company or organizational direction in their meetings feel the meetings lead to results, almost the same as the 31.0% of people who don't. So don't stop after you've talked. After each item, ask for your team member's view.

By the numbers

In KAKEAI's survey of 10,000 employees in Japan, 38.5% chose "to understand the company's or organization's thinking and situation" as a reason for having meetings with their manager. Yet whether or not people discuss direction in their meetings makes almost no difference to the share who feel the meetings lead to results. In records from Kakeai, KAKEAI's 1-on-1 service, when direction was the topic, the most common thing team members wanted from their manager was "I want to hear your opinion." For both direction and day-to-day work, we recommend that you don't just pass along information, but share your own view and ask for your team member's too.

38.5%: 10,000-person survey; Share of people who chose "to understand the company's or organization's thinking and situation" as a reason for having meetings with their manager (up to 5 answers); This was the second most common reason after "to move my own work forward," and it ranked above "to maintain or improve my relationship with my manager" at 30.3%.
33.3%: 10,000-person survey; Among people who discuss "company or organizational direction" in their meetings, the share who feel the meetings lead to results; Among people who don't discuss it, the figure is 31.0%, almost no difference. For "specific work," it was 33.8% for people who discuss it and 25.4% for people who don't. Compared with talk about work, talk about direction shows only a small gap between those who discuss it and those who don't.
27.1%: Kakeai AI 1on1 usage data; Among 1-on-1s with the topic "company or department direction," the share where the team member chose "I want to hear your opinion" as what they wanted from their manager; This was the most common choice for the topic, while "I want to report something" was 4.8%. When direction is the topic, people more often want their manager's opinion than someone to hear their report. The percentage is out of all 1-on-1s with this topic, including those where no expectation was chosen.

The 27.1% figure from usage data is a tally of what was chosen before regular 1-on-1s. It is not limited to quarterly or twice-yearly meetings. "Most common" refers to the ranking among the 5 options, excluding "Other."

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)

In a 1-on-1, share your own view, not just announcements

In a 1-on-1 with a direct report, the most useful thing a manager can share is not announcements but their own view. That means what you notice about the person's work, how you read the company's direction, and what you care about most in their evaluation. By "1-on-1" we mean any individual or regular check-in meeting, whatever your workplace calls it.

Before the meeting, try writing down what you plan to talk about. If the list is all announcements (next half's priorities, the review schedule, a new rule), the meeting will likely end up as an announcement session. When you share an announcement, about all your team member can say back is "Got it."

In KAKEAI's survey of 10,000 employees in Japan, we asked why people have meetings with their manager (up to 5 answers). "To understand the company's or organization's thinking and situation" was chosen by 38.5%, the second most common reason after "to move my own work forward." It ranked above "to maintain or improve my relationship with my manager" at 30.3%. When we asked about meeting topics (multiple answers), 36.7% named "company or organizational direction," the third most common topic.

The same survey also found that among people who talk about company or organizational direction in their meetings, 33.3% feel the meetings lead to results. Among people who do not, the figure is 31.0%. Even when we compare people who meet equally often, there is almost no difference. For "specific work," the figures are 33.8% for people who talk about it and 25.4% for people who do not. For "skill and capability growth," they are 39.6% and 29.7%, so people who discuss it report a higher rate. Talk about direction shows no such gap.

Drawing on its experience supporting more than 3 million 1-on-1s and its survey of 10,000 employees, KAKEAI believes a 1-on-1 is also a time for the manager to share their own thinking. Even when you discuss company direction, don't stop at what was decided. Share how you yourself see it.

5 things a manager can bring to a 1-on-1, and how to open each one

This page covers 5 things a manager can bring up: what you notice about the person's work, your take on the company's direction, what you care about most in their evaluation, the next piece of work you'd like to hand them, and what you yourself will take on. Swap them out to fit the person and how often you meet. The table uses, as an example, a job that involves answering customer inquiries by email.

What the manager brings up	Wording that stays an announcement or a stock phrase	Opening line that shares the manager's own view
What you notice about their work	You're always a big help. Keep it up.	Your reply to last week's return inquiry gave the answer in the first two lines. It was easy to read.
Your take on the company's direction	Starting next month, we'll send a first reply to every inquiry on the same day.	The way I read this policy, it's less about answering faster and more about telling the customer up front when we'll answer.
What you care about most in their evaluation	The evaluation criteria are as shown on the review form.	This term, what I care about most is that customers don't have to contact us again about the same issue.
The next work you'd like to hand them	I have high hopes for you going forward.	Starting next month, I'd like to ask you to build reply templates for our frequently asked questions.
What you will take on yourself	Let me know if anything comes up.	I'll check with our department head on how to handle inquiries that arrive in the late afternoon, and get back to you by Friday.

After each item, ask for your team member's view. You are also involved in their evaluation, so it's hard for them to say "I see it differently."

That's how it looks from where I sit. If any of it doesn't match how it feels to you, please tell me.

1. What you notice about their work

Share one thing that went well and one thing you'd like them to try changing, each tied to a specific event. "You're working hard" on its own doesn't tell them what to keep doing.

Your reply to last week's return inquiry gave the answer in the first two lines, and it was very easy to read. I'd love for you to keep writing that way.
There's also one thing I'd like to talk through. It seems to me you sometimes hold on to a difficult inquiry by yourself for a long time.
If you've spent 30 minutes on a reply and it still isn't coming together, could you check in with me while it's still in progress? If there's a reason it's taking time, I'd like to hear that too.

Records of 300,000 1-on-1 sessions extracted from Kakeai, KAKEAI's 1-on-1 service, include what team members chose, topic by topic, as what they wanted from their manager before their regular 1-on-1s. For the topic "skill and capability growth," "I want specific advice" was chosen 19.2% of the time, the most common choice for that topic. "I want you to listen" was 6.9%. When skill growth is the topic, people more often expect concrete advice than a listening ear.

When you talk about someone's work, it often helps to go beyond words of appreciation and be specific about what they could do next.

2. How you read the company's or department's direction

It often helps to break a policy into 4 parts: what was decided, the background, what changes in their own work, and your own view. Your team member often has thoughts of their own, so before you share yours, ask how the policy struck them.

Our department has decided that, starting next month, we'll send a first reply to every inquiry on the same day.
It's because we kept getting phone calls from customers whose inquiry wasn't answered until the next day.
For your accounts, this changes how we handle inquiries that come in after 4 p.m. How does this policy sit with you?
My view is that we don't have to finish the full answer the same day. Telling the customer "We'll reply by tomorrow morning" is enough.
If you think anything will get harder to do, please let me know.

In Kakeai's records, for the topic "company or department direction," "I want to hear your opinion" was chosen 27.1% of the time, the most common choice for that topic. "I want us to think it through together" was 13.9%, "I want you to listen" was 4.9%, and "I want to report something" was 4.8%. When direction is the topic, what people most often want is the manager's opinion.

If you haven't yet been told the reason behind a policy yourself, separate what you know from what you don't.

To be honest, I haven't been told yet why it starts next month. I'll check with our department head and get back to you by Friday.

3. What you care about most in their evaluation

Talk about what you care about in their evaluation before review season comes around. Evaluation outcomes aren't decided by you alone, so what you can share is what you care about and how you see things right now.

Could we look at this item on the review form together? This term, what I care about most isn't the number of replies but making sure customers don't have to contact us again about the same issue.
Right now, I think the content of your replies is very good. What I'd like us to work on together is bringing difficult cases to me earlier.
I can't decide the evaluation outcome on my own. How does what I've said so far sound to you?

4. The next work you'd like to hand them

Instead of "I have high hopes for you," name one piece of work you'd like to hand them and tell them why.

Starting next month, I'd like to ask you to build reply templates for our frequently asked questions.
Your replies are concise, and people understand them after reading them once.
What do you think? Also, tell me how much of it you'd like to decide on your own.

5. What you will take on yourself

At the start of the meeting, report back on what you took on last time, before they have to ask. At the end, tell them what you're taking on this time, with a deadline, as in the table example.

First, let me report back on what I took on last time. I checked with accounting about the return shipping cost. They confirmed that we cover it.

If you haven't finished yet, say so like this:

I'm sorry. I haven't done the check I promised last time. I'll look into it by Wednesday and let you know on chat.

Health and family matters are not items for you to bring up. If your team member raises them, listen first. If health issues keep coming up, don't carry it alone. Talk to HR or an occupational health professional.

Adjust how many items you bring, and in what order, to how often you meet

Change the number and order of the items you bring up to fit how often you meet and the situation. For quarterly or twice-yearly meetings, send the items ahead of time. For meetings once a month or more, narrow it down to one or two items each time.

Quarterly or twice-yearly meetings

In KAKEAI's survey of 10,000 employees, 69.8% of people who meet their manager twice a year talked about their performance evaluation in those meetings. Also, 25.6% of people who meet twice a year chose "I don't particularly expect anything" when asked what they want from their manager. That is higher than the 15.6% across all respondents.

If your team member knows ahead of time what the meeting will cover, it's easier for them to think about what they want to raise. We recommend sending the items you plan to bring up at least 3 days before the meeting, and starting the meeting itself with whatever they sent you.

In Thursday's meeting, I'd like to talk about 3 things: what I've noticed about your work over the past six months, my take on next month's policy change, and the next work I'd like to ask you to take on.
Could you also let me know, by the day before, what you'd like to talk about and what you'd like from me?

Don't stop at evaluation. Include one topic about their current work as well. In the same survey, widening the range to people who meet once every six months to a year, 21.6% of those who talk about "specific work" feel their meetings lead to results. Among those who don't, it's 15.8%. Even in infrequent meetings, people who talk about their work report a higher rate.

If you're short on prep time before the evaluation deadline, it's fine to give everyone the same take on company direction. What you prepare for each person is one memorable event from their work and one piece of work you'd like to hand them next.

Meetings once a month or more

If you cover all 5 items every time, your own talking can easily use up the whole meeting. It often helps to narrow it down to one or two items each time, and to start by reporting back on what you took on last time.

First, let me report back on the accounting check I took on last time. After that, there's just one thing I'd like to share: my thoughts on next month's policy change.

When your team member comes with something to discuss

When your team member has prepared something they want to talk about, hear them out first. Start by asking what they want from you. Keep your own topic to one, and save it for the last 5 minutes or so.

For this topic, is it closer to wanting me to listen, wanting to think it through together, or wanting my opinion?
I also have one thing I'd like to bring up at the end. Could I have about 5 minutes?

When you need to ask for an improvement

When there's something you'd like them to improve, say at the start of the meeting what you want to talk about. If you leave it until after small talk, it gets harder to raise, and you're more likely to run out of time without getting to it.

There's one thing I'd like to talk through with you first today. It's about how we handle difficult inquiries.
I'm not trying to blame you. If you check in with me early, I can help handle it with you.

What we don't recommend when you talk in a 1-on-1

There are 4 things this page doesn't recommend when a manager talks in a 1-on-1.

Reading out announcements: Spending meeting time on things people can read in an email leaves no time to share your own view. Send what's been decided by the day before the meeting.
Deciding in advance to only listen and never share your own view: Some advice says the manager should only listen. But in KAKEAI's survey of 10,000 employees, when asked what they want from their manager (up to 5 answers), the top answer was "I want to hear your opinion" at 33.6%, while "I want you to listen" was 20.8%. It's fine for some meetings to be all listening. When they ask for your opinion, though, first ask what they think, then give your own opinion in concrete terms. On the other hand, avoid talking on and on without knowing what your team member wants from you.
Working through a checklist from top to bottom: Finishing the items becomes the goal, and the meeting often ends without deciding what to do next.
Promising things you can't decide on your own: Evaluation outcomes, raises, and transfers aren't up to you alone. What you can say is "Here's what I think" or "I'll check with HR and get back to you by Friday."

How to tell whether what you said got through

You can't tell whether your message got through by whether your team member nodded. Look back on your time together using these 3 questions.

When you shared something, did your team member respond with "Here's what I think," so that you actually discussed it?
At the end of the meeting, was the next step put in your team member's own words?
Were you able to start the next meeting by reporting back on what you took on?

At the end of the meeting, you might ask something like this:

Based on what we talked about today, what would you like to start doing tomorrow? On my side, I'll finish checking with our department head by Friday.

In KAKEAI's survey of 10,000 employees, 49.8% of people who meet at least once a week said their meetings lead to action every time or almost every time. Among people who meet once every six months to a year, it was 29.3%, lower than for those who meet weekly or more. On the other hand, among people whose meetings lead to action even though they meet less than once every two months, 52.8% feel their meetings lead to results.

The less often you meet, the more we recommend that you don't just talk and leave it there. Decide together what each of you will do next before you end the meeting.

What Kakeai AI 1on1 can do in this situation

When you're unsure how to bring up what you want to share in a 1-on-1 with a direct report, here is what Kakeai AI 1on1 can do.

Before the 1-on-1

Advice on how to bring up what you want to say, and key points
If you enter something you want to bring up with your team member in the "Things to Tell Your Team Member" field and save it, the "Pre-1-on-1 AI Advice" is rewritten to reflect it. What you enter is not shown on your team member'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 the other person's screen.
Choosing a topic and the response you'd like
Before a 1-on-1, the team member can choose the topic they want to discuss and how they would like their manager to respond (the expected response). Depending on your settings, managers can choose topics too. The selections appear on both of your screens.

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, organized by each person you meet with. You can look back at them anytime.

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

How much should a manager talk in a 1-on-1? Is it better to just listen?

You don't need to decide in advance that you'll only listen in a 1-on-1. In KAKEAI's survey of 10,000 employees in Japan, when asked what they want from their manager (up to 5 answers), the top answer was "I want to hear your opinion" at 33.6%, while "I want you to listen" was 20.8%. More people want their manager's opinion. Rather than how long you talk, pay attention to whether you ask for your team member's view after you've spoken.

In a quarterly or twice-yearly one-on-one meeting, what should a manager start with?

In a quarterly or twice-yearly meeting, first hear what your team member wants to talk about. Then it often helps to start with what you've noticed about their work during the period. Name specific events, and share one thing that went well and one thing you'd like them to try changing. If you send the items you plan to bring up at least 3 days before the meeting, it's easier for your team member to prepare what they want to discuss too.

Should I turn what I want to check in a 1-on-1 into a checklist and go through it from the top?

This page doesn't recommend working through a checklist from top to bottom. Finishing the items becomes the goal, and the meeting often ends without deciding what to work on next. Limit the items you bring up to 3 at most per meeting. For each item, share your own view and ask for your team member's view as well.

How should I talk about a company policy in a 1-on-1 when I'm not fully on board with it myself?

When you're not fully on board with a company policy, talk about 3 things separately: what was decided, the background you've been told, and what you yourself don't know yet. For what you don't know, give your team member a deadline, such as "I'll check with our department head and get back to you by Friday." Avoid both criticizing the policy and leaving it there, and reading it out while pretending to agree.

Does what a manager says change depending on whether it's called a review meeting or a 1-on-1?

What you say to your team member doesn't change based on whether you call it a meeting or a 1-on-1. In KAKEAI's survey of 10,000 employees in Japan, 37.2% said they think of their regular meetings with their manager as "1-on-1s," so whether the same meeting counts as a 1-on-1 differs from person to person. What's worth changing is how you run it based on frequency. If you meet twice a year, send the items ahead of time. If you meet once a month or more, narrow it to one or two items each time.

Sources and how to cite these figures