1:1 Meeting with Boss? 50 Questions & Topics with Answers

Is your one-on-one meeting with your boss more like an elevator conversation or deep-sea diving?

Elevator ride scenario: You get in, exchange a few superficial words, and before you know it, you’re out again – with no real added value.

But what if you dove deep instead? What if you took the opportunity to gain clarity on priorities, growth and new perspectives? In this article, you’ll find clever questions and topics that will turn your next one-on-one meeting with your manager from a must-attend meeting into a real game changer. I even include a few specific agenda templates.

Whether in a face-to-face, remote, digital or virtual one-on-one meeting, 1-to-1 meetings offer space for feedback and therefore personal development, which is essential in today’s working world. And in this article, I provide you with questions for all relevant 1-to-1 meeting topics that you can use in your weekly, bi-weekly or monthly one-on-one meetings to have good conversations. I’ve even included answers so you have a sense of what to say and discuss in your one-on-one.

First of all: If you’re still unsure about what good one-on-one meetings look like, take a look at our guide: The guide with 6 tips for successful one-on-one meetings.

I’ve also since made a Youtube video (in English) in which I present the results of my small research: I asked 100 managers in qualitative interviews why they actually hold one-on-one meetings - feel free to check it out.

Play

Before I get to the topics, questions and answers that you can ask in your one-on-one meeting with your manager, I would like to give you three essential tips.

1st tip: What does your manager want?

It’s great that you’re getting inspiration here for topics for your 1-on-1 meeting. But be clear about what your manager wants - namely two things:

• ✅ That you perform
• ✅ That you are satisfied

Ask yourself: What are your biggest blockers regarding these two things? If you address these in your 1-to-1 meeting, it will be valuable. And what if everything is going well? Then your meeting may only last 10 minutes – completely okay!

Tip 2: Clear line - status update or development discussion?

Not every one-on-one meeting has the same focus. That’s why we actively ask the question:

• 💡 “To be sure, I know both scenarios, so I ask: Are these 1-to-1 meetings about an operational status update, my personal development or both?”

When it comes to development, use the time to talk about growth, career paths or challenges – instead of just ticking off to-dos.

Tip 3: Lead upwards - Even your boss isn’t always prepared

Let’s be honest: even managers often come to one-on-one meetings unprepared.

• 👉 But you can control the meeting – by “managing upwards through questions”.
• The more clarity you have about your own desired development plan, the better your manager can help you.

Your one-on-one meeting is your career GPS, a regular calibration – but only if you have a plan yourself, ask the right questions and make your one-on-one meetings active!

Use smart questions to set the direction, instead of just reacting to topics and queries. This article is for that - we’ll get to the questions and answers for the conversation with your boss or supervisor in a moment.

Hopefully, you already have the same mental model as I do for your meeting. Now let’s move on to one-on-one meeting questions that you can ask your boss or supervisor.

I have organized the topics or questions you can ask your manager into different categories. These are the 8 topics for your one-on-one meeting with your boss:

• Identifying obstacles and obtaining support
• Clarifying priorities and managing expectations
• Understanding corporate strategy and the bigger picture
• Making constructive suggestions for improvement
• Discuss growth and career opportunities
• Obtain feedback on performance and team role
• Building and strengthening relationships with managers
• Proactively offering help and taking responsibility

Let’s start with specific questions you can ask your manager. Don’t worry - later we’ll also get to answers you can give your supervisor. These will help you better anticipate what you should say and discuss in your one-on-one meeting.

As you can see, the main aim of a one-on-one conversation with your manager is to zoom out. This is often very difficult in everyday life, which is why a dedicated block of time is necessary.

By the way, don’t be fooled by the questions: Of course, it is also quite possible that your manager will bring some topics for your one-on-one meeting, so you may not even get to ask your boss all your questions in the first one-on-one meeting.

Now let’s move on to typical topics or questions that your manager may bring up - and possible answers you can give your manager. This will give you a feel for what you should say to your manager and discuss with her.

Again, I have divided the possible answers to questions that your manager might ask you in a one-on-one meeting into 7 topics:

• Current work status & progress
• Challenges & problems
• Personal development & career goals
• Feedback – to you & from you
• Team dynamics & collaboration
• Company updates & strategy
• Well-being & work-life balance

Let’s get started with questions and answers that you can tell your manager in a one-to-one meeting and discuss with them.

1. Questions & answers: your current work status & progress

Questions your manager might ask:

• What are you working on right now?
  Possible answers:

  1. My current focus is on [project X]. I have already reached [milestone Y] and am now working on [next step]. I see potential to make the process more efficient by introducing [improvement idea].
  2. My main focus is on [task Z]. I have gained some insights that could be valuable for the team, especially [important observation]. I would like to share this in our next team meeting.

• Are there any obstacles that are slowing you down?
  Possible answers:

  1. I realize that [process or tool] keeps slowing me down. I already have [solution idea] in mind and would like to discuss with you whether this is realistically feasible.
  2. I encounter challenges in [area X] because [reason]. I have already tried [measure], but there is still room for improvement. Do you have experience with similar situations?

2. Questions & answers: challenges & problems

Questions your manager might ask:

• Is there anything that frustrates you?
  Possible answers:

  1. A challenge for me at the moment is [problem] because it has [negative impact]. I have already tested [approach], but I would like to hear your opinion if you see another perspective.
  2. Sometimes I find it hard to make [task or process] efficient because of [challenge]. I wonder if an adjustment in [area] could solve the problem.

• Where do you need support?
  Possible answers:

  1. I’m making good progress in [area], but I realize that a sparring partner for [specific challenge] could help me. Do you have anyone in mind that I could talk to about this?
  2. I would like to further develop my skills in [area] because I can see that it would be valuable to our team in the long term. Is there a possibility that I could be involved in a suitable project?

3. Your personal development & career goals

Questions your manager might ask:

• Which skills would you like to develop further?
  Possible answers:

  1. I would like to delve deeper into [subject area] because I can see that it will become increasingly relevant for our future projects. I have already started with [learning resource or initiative] and would like to take on more responsibility in this area.
  2. I have noticed that [soft skill or technical ability] plays a crucial role in our work. I would like to work on this specifically, e.g. through [mentoring, training, practical project].

• Where do you see yourself in 1–2 years?
  Possible answers:

  1. In the next two years, I would like to take on a role in which I have more responsibility for [subject area]. I see potential in developing [initiative or area] further and would like to work specifically towards this.
  2. My goal is to develop in the direction of [desired role]. I already see interfaces in my current work, for example [specific experience]. I would like to work specifically on [skill or experience] in order to develop in this direction.

4. Feedback – to you & from you

Questions your manager might ask:

• I have feedback for you – are you open to it?
  Possible answers:

  1. Yes, very gladly. I see feedback as an opportunity to improve. Is there anything specific that I should pay particular attention to?
  2. Definitely. I would particularly appreciate feedback on [area] because I would like to develop further there.

• What can I do better as a manager?
  Possible answers:

  1. I find it very valuable that you show [positive trait or behavior]. One area where I would like to see more support is [specific suggestion] because it would be helpful for me and the team.
  2. I especially appreciate [strength of leader]. One thing that would help me would be [improvement] because it could make the flow of work or collaboration even more efficient.

5. Team dynamics & collaboration

Questions your manager might ask:

• How is the collaboration with your colleagues?
  Possible answers:

  1. Overall, cooperation is going well, especially in [area]. However, I see potential to optimize our coordination in [topic], e.g. through [specific proposal].
  2. I have the impression that we work very well as a team in [situation]. However, we could work together even more in [challenge], for example by trying out [solution idea].

• Is there tension in the team?
  Possible answers:

  1. In most areas, collaboration runs smoothly, but I have noticed that there are sometimes misunderstandings in [topic or process]. I think clearer communication could help here.
  2. I’ve noticed that there are different working styles in our team, which sometimes leads to challenges. I think a brief exchange on how we can better align expectations could be helpful.

6. Company updates & strategy

Questions your manager might ask:

• Are there any company decisions that you don’t understand?
  Possible answers:

  1. I have seen the decision on [topic] and would like to better understand the long-term strategy behind it. Are there specific goals associated with this change?
  2. I’ve noticed that [change or decision] has had some impact on our team. I would like to know how we can make the best possible use of this to align our work with it.

• How well can you implement our strategy in your everyday life?
  Possible answers:

  1. I see a strong connection between our strategy and [aspect of my work], especially with [example]. One area where I still need clarity is [topic] so that I can focus my work even more specifically on it.
  2. I try to implement our strategy in [work area] in the best possible way. I believe that even closer coordination with [team or department] could help us to achieve our common goals even more effectively.

7. Your well-being & work-life balance

Questions your manager might ask:

• How are you currently – outside of work?
  Possible answers:

  1. I’m doing well and I feel like I have a good work-life balance. One thing that could help me to improve this further would be [e.g. more flexible working hours, fewer meetings].
  2. I realize that there’s been a lot going on in the last few weeks and I’m trying to keep a good balance. I’ve tried some strategies to work more productively, but I’m wondering if we could become more efficient in [process].

• Do you feel overworked or underchallenged?
  Possible answers:

  1. My current workload is challenging but doable. I prioritize strongly, but I see potential for us to optimize [task or process] to work more efficiently.
  2. I realize that I would like to take on more responsibility in [area] because I see great potential there. Is there a way for me to get more involved?

In addition to these many questions and answers, there are of course other aspects that you could address in your appraisal interview.

Having spoken to around 100 managers over the last few months, I have noticed a pattern. 

Many supervisors occasionally incorporate small surveys into their one-on-one meetings. This means that they go through a few questions and ask the employee a) whether he or she agrees with a statement (for example from 1 to 7) and then b) why he or she answered that way.

At this point, you could show initiative and impress your manager with just such an agenda template.

Here’s how you can sell your manager’s templates - the method has three advantages:

• More variety and engagement in 1-to-1 conversations
• Taking on new perspectives
• Measurability of (soft) KPIs such as satisfaction over time

I have put together five statements for you here that focus on reflecting on important prerequisites for every successful employee. 

You can also download this template as a Doc, but even better is the following: In our one-on-one meeting software, we have an integrated tool that makes the results visible as metrics over time and gives you tips with an AI assistant - feel free to take a look without logging in via the button below. 

In the second step, you can easily invite your manager - and impress them with your initiative.

As you can see, the statements address key preconditions of staff that feels happy. 

Another prerequisite for healthy, productive employees is, of course, a good manager. Yes, I’m talking about your boss or supervisor here.

And of course, there are also statements that you can proactively take with you into your one-on-one meeting. Specifically, here are 4 behavioral anchors that you can reflect on in a monthly one-on-one meeting with your manager.

Sure, she has to be open to it first. But if you have a good relationship with her and she is generally open to new methods, it’s worth a try.

So now you should really have a good foundation for the one-on-one conversation between you as Direct Report and your supervisor.

And, can you hardly wait to raise these questions in your one-on-one meeting? Very good, I’m glad. 

If you or your manager would like even more creative input, I can recommend our corresponding article: 129 Good One-on-One Meeting Questions (by a Psychologist) .

You’ve probably already guessed it. Of course, there are many more templates for one-on-one meetings that your manager in particular may need sooner or later. 

For example, I talk about templates for a one-to-one meeting on salary, your conversation with a difficult employee or with a completely new employee.

We have additional templates for all of these use cases, which you can find in this article: 15 Free Proven One-on-one Meeting Templates to Edit & Print

Don’t stress about your one-on-one meeting - ultimately, it’s your manager’s job to come up with good questions.

But I understand your ulterior motives - of course it’s smart to shine in the one-on-one meeting with a little preparation. I hope the many ideas in this article have helped you with that. 

Our AI meeting assistant for one-on-one meetings can also help you and your manager with this. If you think your manager could benefit from it, take a look at our website and maybe pass it on: The best 1-on-1 meeting software .

Summary & FAQ

1. How do I ask for a one-on-one meeting with my manager?

Simply ask directly and politely for an interview. For example:
“Hey [Name], I’d like to run a quick one-on-one with you to discuss my current projects and some ideas. Do you have time in the next few days?“

2. What questions can I ask in a one-on-one meeting?

Here are some good questions you can ask your boss:

• “What priorities do you see for our team in the coming months?”
• “Are there any areas where I can improve my performance?”
• “How can I better support you and the team?”
• “What development opportunities do you see for me in the company?“

3. Which topics should I discuss in the one-on-one meeting with my boss?

You can focus on the following areas:

• Project updates: Report on the current status of your tasks.
• Challenges: Talk openly about problems and ask for advice.
• Goals & development: Discuss your career plans and development opportunities.
• Feedback: Ask for constructive feedback and give feedback yourself.

4. How do I have an effective one-on-one meeting with my boss?

• Preparation: Think about the topics you want to discuss beforehand.
• Openness: Be honest about your successes and challenges.
• Active listening: Listen attentively and ask questions.
• Follow-up: Summarize the most important points and implement them.

5. What should I say in a one-on-one meeting with my boss?

In addition to the usual topics, you can also address the following:

• Own ideas and suggestions for improvement
• Wishes for cooperation or team culture
• Resources you need to work better

6. Is there a template for a one-on-one meeting with my boss?

Yes, a simple structure could look like this, there are more examples in our tool:

1. Welcome & short personal check-in
2. Project and task updates
3. Challenges and possible solutions
4. Giving & receiving feedback –
5. Career and development goals
6. Open questions or further topics

As already mentioned, you can find more agenda suggestions in our Echometer 1-to-1 meeting software: Echometer .

7. What does a good agenda for the one-on-one meeting look like?

Here is an example for your agenda:

• What have I achieved recently?
• What am I working on right now?
• What are the challenges?
• What feedback do I have for my boss?
• What support do I need?
• What next steps are we planning?

8. What are the benefits of one-on-one meetings with the boss?

• Better communication: You get more clarity about expectations and priorities.
• More trust: Regular conversations strengthen the relationship.
• Targeted development: You can consciously manage your career.
• Early problem solving: challenges are recognized more quickly.

9. Why are one-on-one meetings with my manager aka boss important?

These meetings are your chance to actively work on your development, get honest feedback and build a good working relationship. Use them not only to solve problems, but also to contribute new ideas and help shape your future in the company.