The Art & Science of 1:1 Meetings

Available NOW

Strategies to elevate your 1:1 meetings, unleashing the true potential of these transformative interactions

A Quick Look Into The Science of 1:1s

How Often Should 1:1s Be Held?

Tips to Make Your 1:1’s Better

“This book is filled with data and practical advice for making the time we spend together less miserable and more worthwhile.”

— Adam Grant, Ph.D., #1 New York Times bestselling author of THINK AGAIN and HIDDEN POTENTIAL, and host of the TED podcast WorkLife

“This highly compelling book provides a very practical and research driven blueprint for how to go about achieving effective 1:1s.  And guess what - that value is in the eyes of the recipient (was it valuable and fulfilling) not those of the manager.  Managers are there to support and to help their directs be at their best.  A great read for anyone wanting to know how to best engage with those they work with, and by doing so, reach new heights as a manager.”
— Matthew Saxon, Chief People Officer of Zoom Video Communications

“Starting, growing, and maintaining any business requires attracting and nurturing good people. And one of the best — and also most underutilized — tools in fostering talent is the 1:1 meeting. In this highly practical book, meetings expert Steven Rogelberg shares powerful science to inform and elevate these crucial interactions. Read Glad We Met — you and your team will be glad you did!”

— Arianna Huffington, Founder & CEO, Thrive Global

“Based on extensive research, Steven Rogelberg discusses incredibly well why effective 1:1 meetings lead to improved personnel performance and happiness, and are critical to business success. This superb book is for anyone who manages people, and for any business that wants to succeed.”

— Elizabeth F. Churchill, PhD, Senior Director, Google

“You grow your people to grow your organization––a seedbed of that growth is the 1:1 meeting. This frequently unprepared for, often canceled, and seemingly inconsequential meeting can be, when deliberately done, a valuable investment in people and one that makes them feel genuinely seen. That’s where Steven Rogelberg’s evidence-based, decades-in-the-making, action-oriented approach to 1:1s comes in. Every manager (and parent) should read this book now. Your people and your organization will be glad you did.”

— Whitney Johnson, CEO, Disruption Advisors, Top #10 Management Thinker, Thinkers50, WSJ and USA Today bestselling author of Smart Growth

“The world’s leading scholar of meetings unpacks the most important meeting of all — direct conversations between managers and team members. Rooted in deep research and replete with actionable takeaways, this book will transform how — and why — you conduct these essential encounters. GLAD WE MET is an urgent read for anyone trying to find their footing on the modern workplace’s new terrain.”

— Daniel H. Pink, #1 New York Times bestselling author of TO SELL IS HUMAN and DRIVE

“Steven Rogelberg is one of the most important leadership thinkers writing today. This book is insightful and compelling. Rogelberg reveals how the real work in leadership is done in conversations— sense checking, creating engagement, and building trust.”

— Dean Stamoulis, Ph.D., Managing Director, Russell Reynolds Associates

“It is clear that many if not most leaders struggle with carrying out their 1:1 meetings. Making matters worse, leaders often have a blind spot, with their perceptions of 1:1s being more positive than what their directors have to say. To help rectify this situation and promote the incredible potential of 1:1s, Steven Rogelberg offers compelling and practical evidence-based guidance for 1-1 meetings worth everyone’s time and effort. This is a must-read for leaders, workers, and teammates around the globe.”

— Alex Alonso, Ph.D., Chief Knowledge Officer, Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM)

“Glad We Met is a game changer for leaders of all levels.  It casts a bright light on the importance of the 1:1 meeting and how these meetings impact both individuals and the overall team.  It is a delight to read, grounded in science and contains highly practical tips and stories.” 

— Robin Cohen, PhD, Head of Talent Management Pharmaceuticals and Enterprise R&D at Johnson and Johnson

“Glad We Met: The Art And Science Of 1:1 Meetings might be the most powerful way to build trust and inspire individual performance and engagement, yet arguably is the least developed tool in a People Leader’s toolkit. Dr. Rogelberg does a masterful job of conveying the art and science of 1:1 meetings and equipping managers with a simple, pragmatic and actionable playbook that they can implement immediately.”

— Josh Greenwald, SVP, CHRO TIAA Retirement Solutions

“After reading this book, you will think differently about 1:1 meetings! Glad We Met provides highly compelling tools and strategies to help you unlock the full potential of your 1:1 meetings to build stronger relationships, and ultimately create a more human-centered workplace culture.  This is a must read.”

— Jennifer Fisher, Chief Well-being Officer, Deloitte; Best-Selling Author

“Refreshingly practical, this book is the definitive guide for making meetings work– especially those all-important one-on-one meetings with people who depend on you to perform and thrive. Author Steven Rogelberg, the leading expert in the important and understudied topic of meetings, offers actionable advice that will make anyone a better manager.”

— Amy Edmondson, Ph.D, Novartis Professor of Leadership and Management at the Harvard Business School; and Author of the best seller, The Fearless Organization

“The book is amazing! It’s everything I never knew and I always wanted to know about 1:1s!  Whether you’re just starting out as a manager, or are a senior executive, a recent graduate, or have decades of experience, Glad We Met is a must read.”

— Adam Husein, Senior Vice President, Global Enterprise Data Science, Analytics, and Social Intelligence, Warner Bros. Discovery

“With an approachable tone and loads of pragmatic tools and templates, Steven Rogelberg’s new book on that most ubiquitous meeting type, 1:1’s, is essential reading.  As with his prior book on meetings, this is well-researched and grounded in solid science, but still accessible and relevant.  While written to managers, this book is also useful for those who actually own those meetings – the team member.”

— Alexis Fink, Ph.D., Vice President, People Analytics and Workforce Strategy, Meta and President-Elect of the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology

“My introduction to Steven was catalyzing.  He packed practical, science-based wisdom into an engaging 1-hour keynote based on his excellent book, Glad We Met.  Through Steven, we’ve taught my company, and now our clients, that your success in a 1:1 is equal to your success as a leader.  1:1’s are the stage upon which you solve your complex work problems as well as where you set your leadership brand, and create a psychologically safe environment to connect, coach, develop, retain talent, and combat burnout.” 

— Tacy M. Byham, Ph.D., Chief Executive Officer, DDI, co-author of Your First Leadership Job

1:1s are arguably one of the most critical meeting types for the success of team members, managers, coaches, teams, and organizations. The best managers recognize that 1:1s are not an add-on to their role as a manager. Conducting 1:1s successfully are foundational to being a manager. At the same time, these meetings are the core of a direct report's experience and development at work, including how well they engage and attach to their role, perceive the effectiveness of their manager, and envision their future at the organization. Scouring the research and evidence collected over 20 years from managers and team members, and drawing on interviews with top leaders from some of the most respected companies in the world, Steven Rogelberg covers topics such as:

• Why effective 1:1s are critical to your success and the success of your team

• Messaging and positioning 1:1s for maximum value

• Finding the correct 1:1 cadence and meeting length to maximize positive impact without over-meeting

• Managing the intricate balance of productivity-building, relationship-building, and employee development

• Designing 1:1s with intentionality, from where to conduct the meeting to building agendas to optimize effectiveness

• Acting as leader coach and leveraging key skills around facilitation, listening, and feedback-giving

• How to personalize your 1:1 approach to fit you and your direct reports - one size does not fit all

“I learned so much from Glad We Met! One-on-one meetings will never go out of style because they are the bedrock of relationships, and I’m so glad Steven Rogelberg has compiled this authoritative guide to how to do them best!”

— Angela Duckworth, PhD Rosa Lee and Egbert Chang Professor at the University of Pennsylvania and author of #1 New York Times best seller, Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance

“One-on-one meetings between managers and direct reports can make or break a team. Rogelberg shows, step by step, how to use these meetings to enhance work satisfaction and  productivity. This is a very valuable book!”

— Carol Dweck, Professor of Psychology, Stanford University, Author of Mindset: The New Psychology of Success

'“If world leaders read this book and led 1:1 meetings with greater collaboration and impact, the world would be more peaceful and prosperous. Until then, you should read this book to improve your own approach to management and leadership.”

— Asheesh Advani, CEO, JA Worldwide (Junior Achievement Worldwide)

“In this era of global uncertainty and conflict, massive change, technological advances, disengaged workers, burnout and a complete reimagination of the role “work” plays in each of our lives, Steven’s book is a timely reminder of the core responsibility of a manager…to connect an employee to the mission and purpose of the organization, understand their role in the organization’ success, to support him or her to deliver superior work that drives business results and to unleash their inner greatness. While the setting, frequency or length may vary, it starts with a caring, empathetic manager who sends powerful messages about support, inclusion, performance and excellence during thoughtful, planned meetings and about becoming the best at the job at hand and preparing for the career advancements that lie ahead. This book is a “must read” roadmap for managers to successfully take employees on that journey.”

— Rebecca L Ray, Ph.D., Executive Vice President, Human Capital, The Conference Board

“We extend our minds and enhance our intelligence by thinking in concert with other people—and one of the best ways to do this is to meet one on one. In Glad We Met, Steven Rogelberg makes a powerful case for crafting our 1:1 meetings with more care and intention. Drawing on decades of research, he provides a blueprint for making such meetings effective and productive. This book is a must-read for any manager who wants to lead a team to success.”

— Annie Murphy Paul, author Washing best seller The Extended Mind

“Glad We Met can fundamentally change and improve lives at work. It brings a rich, robust, and surprising science to bear on a critical leadership activity -- the 1:1 Meeting. All leaders should read this book. All coaches should read this book.” 

— Matt Mochary, CEO Coach, CEO of Mochary Method Inc. and author of the best-seller, The Great CEO Within: The Tactical Guide to Company Building

“Humans have survived and thrived through the stories they tell and the connections they make with each other about their lived experience. At work and in life outside of work, small actions can produce oversized impact. As Lao Tzu prophetically noted, “Great acts are made up of small deeds.” ProfessorRogelberg poignantly and persuasively reminds us that one of the most common practices at work, one-on-one meetings, is precisely one of those “small deeds” that contribute to “great acts.” This evidence-based book is replete with actionable advice that can move one-on-one meetings from the mundane to the fuel that can literally transform individuals, teams, and organizations.”

— David Altman, Ph.D., Chief Research; Innovation Officer, Center for Creative Leadership

“Glad We Met is an incredibly exciting and rare work that sheds a bright light on a critical work activity too often taken for granted  -- the 1:1 Meeting.  Its evidence-based insights are highly compelling and can be leveraged to truly change the work lives of your team and by doing so promote success for you and your organization. This is a must read.”

— Robert Pasin, CEO, Radio Flyer

“So many of us miss the opportunity to use 1-1 meetings as the powerful tool they are. Thankfully, Steven Rogelberg has created the definitive guide to leading radically useful 1-1s that can build relationships and transform your connections with colleagues, team members, and your own manager.”

— Dorie Clark, Wall Street Journal bestselling author of The Long Game and executive education faculty, Duke University Fuqua School of Business

“Rogelberg does an incredible job making the case that the 1:1 meeting should not be taken for granted by leaders. He provides highly compelling evidence-based insights designed to made 1:1s highly effective and positively impactful for all parties.  No matter what leadership level you are, you will be very glad you read this book.”

— Dave Burwick, CEO, The Boston Beer Company

“A fantastic, enjoyable book, packed with unique evidence-based insights. Glad We Met can absolutely elevate work life for both leaders and teams. A must read!”

— Tasha Eurich, Ph.D. New York Times bestselling author of Insight and Bankable Leadership

“Glad We met does for one-on-one meetings what The Surprising Science of Meetings did for standups and work sessions. At last, there is a research-backed but highly practical step-by-step guide to make the most the time you have with your direct reports. As Rogelberg keenly notes – the one-on-one meeting can be the foundation of your relationship with your team members, but only if done well. Glad We Met provides a roadmap on how to make these meetings useful and fulfilling for leaders and team members, alike.”

— Stephanie Johnson, Ph.D., Professors and Director, Doerr Institute for New Leaders and author of the WSJ Best Seller, Inclusify

“1:1s can make or break your team, your culture, and your company. In this must-read guide for managers, Dr. Rogelberg explains the evidence-based simple steps you can take to make sure every 1:1 makes you and your team better.”

— Laszlo Bock, former CHRO of Google and founder of Humu and Gretel.ai

“Glad We Met may be one of the most helpful, valuable, practical, and grounded leadership books of 2023.  It is insightful and a joy to read. More importantly, it is useable. Rogelberg leverages cutting edge science to guide leaders to make 1:1 meetings truly work to promote employee and leader thriving.”

— Peter Bregman, CEO Bregman Partners, Best selling author of 18 Minutes and Leading with Emotional Courage

It's HR's responsibility to make one-on-one meetings better

HR BREW

Work Shift: How to Master the Meeting That Matters Most

BLOOMBERG

Unlocking the Potential of 1:1 Meetings

NEXT BIG IDEA CLUB

Skeptical Of Meetings? Here’s One That Can Be A Key To Your Success

Forbes

Your Boss Is Probably Doing Your 1:1 Wrong

Business Insider

Fixing One-on-One Meetings Improves (almost) Everything with Dr. Steven Rogelberg

How to Be Awesome at Your Job

Steven Rogelberg on What Makes 1:1 Check-ins Effective

How We Work

How To Use One-On-One Meetings To Increase Satisfaction And Results

Forbes

How to Organize 1:1 Meetings to Get Results - Itzik Amiel and Dr. Steven Rogelberg

Itzik Amiel

How to have one-on-one meetings like a boss

Think from KERA

5 Keys to Having Productive 1-on-1 Meetings With Team Members

INC. MAGAZINE

Two Hours of Meetings a Day Is More Than Enough for Most Workers

BLOOMBERG

The Art of the 15-Minute Meeting and How to Run One

THE WALL STREET JOURNAL

How to Raise a Difficult Issue in a One-on-One with Your Boss 

HBR

Managers, take this simple assessment to hold better one-on-one meetings

Quartz

INTERVIEW: Steven Rogelberg - Glad We Met

The 10 Minute Entrepreneur

Steven Rogelberg on the Perfect One-on-One Meeting

Curious Minds at Work

The Art and Science of the One-on-One with Professor Steven Rogelberg

How I Work

Glad We Met! The Art and Science of 1:1 Meetings with Steven Rogelberg

SkyeTeam

Tips for Productive, Successful, and Powerful 1:1 Meetings

Tom Wheelwright

More tools…

Special 1:1 Questions for Remote Employees

Agenda Template with Add-Ons 

True/False Quiz on Skills for Dealing with Negative Emotions in 1:1s

Checklist for Effectively Giving Feedback & Establishing Accountability in 1:1s

Checklist of Best Practices for Skip- Level 1:1s

Checklist for Effectively Receiving & Acting on Feedback in 1:1s

Agenda Template

Common Mistakes in 1:1 Questions

…can be found in Glad We Met: The Art & Science of 1:1 Meetings