Management course Course 06 of 24

Make one-on-ones useful again.

Use a one-on-one to understand a person's work, obstacles and development, then follow through on what you agree. A status update can be part of it, but should not crowd out the questions that need a private conversation.

Open Cadence on the App Store or Google Play and type the sentence on this page, or choose this course ready-made under Browse starter courses. Free to start.
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Try a practical exercise

Type this when Cadence asks what you want to learn

I want to run effective one-on-one meetings that surface useful issues, support direct reports, and do not turn into status updates.

Change any word so it fits your situation. The course is built from what you type and a few setup questions.

A leader stepping away from a group and onto a rising path. — 1:1s **One-on-ones that work**
30 short lessons. Day 1 is ready.

Best for: Management
Prerequisites: No formal prerequisites
Course length: 30 daily lessons
Lesson pace: About 10 minutes a day
Total learning time: About 5 hours in total
Access: Available on the App Store and Google Play, with an optional early testing list

An original website exercise

Move from a status question to useful support.

Imagine a teammate says that a project is on track but that reviews keep arriving late. Practise finding the obstacle before offering a solution.

01

Ask about a recent instance

Try "What happened on the last review?" rather than assuming the teammate needs better time management.
02

Find the support needed

Ask which part they can change and where they need your help. Distinguish listening, advice and a decision you need to make.
03

Keep one follow-through note

Record an agreed action, its owner and a sensible check-in. Keep private or sensitive details out of shared notes.

Worked example, not a learner result

What happened with the last review? Which delay can you resolve yourself, and where would a decision from me help? I will confirm the reviewer today; let us check on Friday whether that removed the block.

Could the teammate tell what you will do after the conversation? Rewrite a vague promise such as "I will support you" into a specific action. This fictional example does not mean every one-on-one needs a problem to fix.

Want a guided learning path? Start free in Cadence and look for One-on-Ones That Work, the in-app name for this course. This website exercise is an introduction, not an excerpt from an app lesson.

Right for now

If any of this sounds familiar, start here.

Every lesson connects to a conversation, decision, or habit you can change between lessons.

Your 1:1s become status updates

Separate project tracking from the conversation only this person can have.

You miss weak signals

Ask questions that reveal friction, confusion, or hidden risk.

You want better coaching

Help people think without taking the problem away.

You need follow-through

Carry decisions and commitments into the next meeting.

Inside the course

Your first three days are already mapped.

The course follows a daily sequence, so the next practical move is waiting when you come back.

Purposeful agenda

Give each 1:1 a useful job.

Better questions

Surface risks, motivation, and decision quality.

Coaching moves

Guide thinking without becoming the answer machine.

Continuity

Connect one conversation to the next.

Course preview 30 short lessons

One-on-Ones That Work

Day 1 What a One-on-One Is Really For

Separate support, coaching, and issue discovery from status reporting.

Day 2
Define a Meeting Worth Having

Name the concrete outcomes a good one-on-one should produce.
Day 3
Catch the Slide Into Status Updates

Spot when a one-on-one is slipping into updates.

Course arc

From vague intention to repeatable moves.

Cadence turns the course into a returnable habit: short lesson, quick check, review, and the next useful step.

01 / 04

Pick the 1:1 job

Know what the conversation is for this week.

Find the real topic

Go past status into friction and judgment.

Coach the decision

Help the person choose and learn.

Close the loop

Track commitments without micromanaging.

Full syllabus

30 lessons, arranged as one clear path.

Run one-on-ones where direct reports can set priorities, surface issues, get useful support, discuss growth, and leave with clear follow-through. Build a flexible cadence that respects privacy and does more than repeat status.

Module 01

One-on-One Purpose

Define the meeting's job, boundaries, and outcome beyond status reporting.

Day 1 What a One-on-One Is Really For
Day 2 Define a Meeting Worth Having
Day 3 Catch the Slide Into Status Updates
Day 4 Protect Time for What Matters
Day 5 Open Strong, Close Clearly

Module 02

Question Design

Build prompts that invite priorities, explicit concerns, accomplishments, growth topics, and support needs.

Day 6 Checkpoint: Pick the Right Question
Day 7 Clarify an Explicit Blocker
Day 8 Choose What Matters Most First
Day 9 Find the Help That Changes Things
Day 10 Build a Responsive Question Sequence

Module 03

Supportive Coaching Moves

Use responses that clarify, support, and develop direct reports in the moment.

Day 11 Follow the Cue in the Update
Day 12 Respond So the Issue Stays Open
Day 13 Coach Without Taking Over
Day 14 Remove Friction, Not Ownership
Day 15 Turn a Mess Into Useful Support

Module 04

Difficult Conversation Handling

Work through tension, bad news, and misalignment without derailing trust.

Day 16 Checkpoint: Handle the Hard Moment
Day 17 Deliver Bad News and Keep Trust
Day 18 Stay Useful When They Push Back
Day 19 Turn Disagreement Into a Next Step
Day 20 Hold Boundaries Without Killing Candor
Day 21 Run a Hard Conversation End to End

Module 05

Cadence, Privacy, and Growth

Create shared agendas, proportional notes, reliable follow-through, adaptable formats, and career-growth conversations.

Day 22 Build a Shared Cadence and Agenda
Day 23 Take Notes That Respect Privacy
Day 24 Keep Actions From Slipping
Day 25 Flex the Format to the Work and Career Stage
Day 26 Run a Career Growth Conversation

Module 06

Trust and Personal Meeting Playbook

Support workload and wellbeing without diagnosing, audit power and trust, then synthesize the system into a usable playbook.

Day 27 Discuss Workload and Wellbeing Responsibly
Day 28 Audit Trust, Voice, and Follow-Through
Day 29 Run a Full One-on-One
Day 30 Checkpoint: Lock In Your Playbook

How learning works

Read, listen, check your understanding, then keep going.

Short daily lessons

Each lesson is designed around about 10 minutes of focused learning.

Reading and audio

Read the lesson or play its audio when listening fits your day better.

Checks when useful

Lessons can use quizzes, written responses, or guided practice. A lesson can also teach without adding a forced exercise.

Progress and support

Track completed lessons, keep a streak, set reminders, and ask the in-lesson coach for help.

Know the limits. Cadence supports guided self-learning. It does not award an accredited degree or professional certificate, and important AI-generated claims should be checked against reliable sources.

Free to read first

Guides on the same skill.

Part of a career skill path

See the guides and related courses.

Course questions

What to know before you start.

Who is One-on-Ones That Work for?

Every lesson connects to a conversation, decision, or habit you can change between lessons. It is listed in the management part of the Cadence course library.

Do I need any prior experience?

No formal prerequisites are required. The course is designed for guided self-learning, and it is most useful when you bring a real situation or goal to the lessons.

How long does the course take?

One-on-Ones That Work contains 30 lessons designed around 10 minutes each. You open lessons in sequence and can move at your own pace.

What is the learning format?

Lessons can be read or played as audio. The course includes quizzes or practical checks where the lesson calls for them, plus progress tracking and Ask Coach inside lessons.

Does this course award a certificate or degree?

No. Cadence is for practical self-learning and does not award accredited degrees or professional certification.

Start today

Day 1: What a One-on-One Is Really For

Get Cadence and type the sentence above when it asks what you want to learn, or choose One-on-Ones That Work ready-made under Browse starter courses. Day 1 is already written.