A good 1:1 is an opportunity for a team member to connect with their manager. A bad 1:1 is a one-way progress update on ongoing projects.
A good 1:1 is a service provided by the manager for the benefit of their team member. A bad 1:1 feels like a chore for the team member.
A good 1:1 happens every week, and takes anywhere between 5 to 30 minutes, depending on how much there is to discuss.
A good 1:1 follows a loose agenda, but leaves space for informal discussion.
A good 1:1 structure for one team member might be a bad 1:1 structure for another team member.
A good 1:1 gives the manager the information they need to lead effectively.
A good 1:1 allows discussing problems without solutions to enable better flow of information.
After a good 1:1, the team member knows they are heard, valued, trusted, and included.