The Art of the Check-In
Running 1:1s People Actually Want
Powered by the Exponential Coach Methodology 🧭
Awareness → Authenticity → Action. Every course is built on the same proven loop that has guided 1,500+ leaders from stuck to unstoppable.
You became someone's manager, and now the 1:1s feel awkward, rushed, or like a box you're ticking 🤝
The Art of the Check-In
Most new leaders run 1:1s the way they experienced them as an employee: random, transactional, or non-existent. This 7-day course gives you a repeatable format that turns awkward check-ins into the most valuable hour of your team's week. You'll build Awareness of what great 1:1s actually do, design your own Authentic structure that fits your style, and take Action with every direct report using a system you can run forever.
Six shifts. One new you. 🌱
Four-part structure you can use with every person, every time, without it feeling scripted.
Fifteen open-ended questions that get your people talking about what matters, not just tasks.
Scheduling, prep, and follow-up habits so 1:1s never slip or feel like overhead again.
You'll know what to say when someone shares a problem, a win, or silence.
A simple capture system so every conversation builds on the last one visibly.
By day seven you will have run your new format with each team member and seen the difference.
- You manage people for the first time and nobody taught you how to run a 1:1
- You're doing 1:1s but they feel like status meetings and you want them to matter more
- You're a high performer promoted into leadership and relationship-building doesn't come naturally yet
- You cancel or postpone these meetings when you're busy and you know that's a problem
- ✕ You're already running a 1:1 system you love and your team would say the same
- ✕ You don't have direct reports or you manage a team of more than ten without support
- ✕ You're looking for performance-review templates (this is about the weekly relationship, not the annual eval)
A curriculum designed to move you 🧭
Day 1 reframes the 1:1 from obligation to leadership leverage. Day 2 audits your current approach and identifies what to keep and kill. You'll map what your people actually need from these conversations and finish with a clear picture of what success looks like.
Days 3 and 4 build your personal 1:1 structure. You'll choose your four-part agenda flow, write your core questions, and test the format with your easiest direct report. No cookie-cutter scripts—this is yours.
Days 5 and 6 are execution days. You'll hold 1:1s with every team member using your new system, adapt the format per person without breaking the structure, and handle the conversations that don't go smoothly. Real reps, real feedback.
Day 7 locks in the habit. You'll build your prep-and-follow-up routine, set up a simple notes system that tracks threads across weeks, and plan your next cycle so this becomes the easiest leadership ritual you run.
Coach
The Exponential Coach 🤝
The Exponential Coach has spent 20 years teaching leaders how to have the conversations they've been avoiding. After working with over 1,500 managers across Europe, one pattern became impossible to ignore: most leadership failures start in the 1:1. Not because the leader is bad at strategy or execution, but because they never learned to run a structured conversation that builds trust, surfaces problems early, and makes people feel seen.
This course distills two decades of tested 1:1 formats into a system any new leader can run starting today. No theory, no fluff. Just the repeatable structure that turns your most important leadership tool into your most reliable one.
Growth, in their own words 💖
Composite student voices representing typical outcomes.
"I used to dread 1:1s because I never knew what to say after the first five minutes. Now I have a format I can actually follow and my team is bringing me real problems instead of just updates."
Lars K., Team Lead, Munich (composite student voice)
"This course saved me hours of awkward silence. The question bank alone is worth it—I've used the same six questions for three weeks and every conversation has been deeper than anything I had before."
Priya S., Engineering Manager, Amsterdam (composite student voice)
"I was canceling 1:1s when things got busy. After this course I realized those were the weeks I needed them most. My calendar now protects these meetings and my team has noticed."
Tom R., Sales Manager, London (composite student voice)
FAQ ☯️
I only have two direct reports. Is this course still useful?+
Yes. The format works whether you have two people or eight. You'll actually have an easier time testing and refining the structure with a smaller team, and the skills transfer immediately when your team grows.
What if my 1:1s are only 30 minutes, not an hour?+
The four-part structure adapts to any length. You'll learn how to timebox each section so a 30-minute conversation still covers relationship, performance, development, and logistics without rushing.
I work remotely. Does this apply to video 1:1s?+
Completely. Most of the course examples assume video or hybrid setups. The question techniques and note-taking systems work identically on a call, and day 4 specifically addresses presence and attention on screen.
My team is resistant to 1:1s because the previous manager made them painful. How do I rebuild trust?+
Day 3 walks you through the reset conversation: acknowledging the past, explaining your approach, and giving people permission to shape the format. You'll run that conversation before you launch your new system, so nobody feels ambushed.
Can I use this format with my own manager?+
Absolutely. Day 7 includes a bonus section on how to propose this structure upward. Several students have used the question bank and agenda template to improve the 1:1s they receive, not just the ones they run.
About this course
Curriculum
- Their Meeting, Not Yours
- The Opening Question That Changes the Room
- Shut Up and Count to Five
- Consolidation: The Check-In So Far
- From Venting to Moving Forward
- The Two-Way Feedback Moment
- Your Repeatable Check-In Format