Test 10 · New managers

1:1 Health Check

A one-to-one that belongs to you is a status meeting with better chairs.

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Take 1:1 Health Check

This test is built to be answered by your team, anonymously. Team mode is coming; for now you rate yourself.

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The short answer

1:1 Health Check is a free self-test on how useful your one-on-ones really are. Twelve questions look at four areas: whether they’re held, not moved; who owns the agenda; whether they go beyond status to growth and wellbeing; and whether actions happen. You get a 1:1 score out of 100 and three fixes for your next one.

Drafted with AI for Jay Sampat, Chief Mirror Holder · coach review pending

Who it’s for
Managers who hold regular one-on-ones and want to know whether their team finds them worth the time.
What you get
A 1:1 score out of 100 and three fixes you can try in your next one-on-one.

The one-to-one you moved three times this month.

Try a question now

In one-on-ones, the other person does most of the talking.

A question from The 42 Test that touches this topic.

1:1 Health Check

What makes a one-on-one useful?

A useful one-on-one happens when it was meant to, belongs to the other person as much as to you, goes deeper than this week’s status, and ends with things that actually get done. Miss one of those and it becomes a status meeting with better chairs, which your team will notice long before you do.

Take 1:1 Health Check: twelve questions, about four minutes. Answer for your one-on-ones over the last month.

What does the test look at?

Four areas, three questions each:

  • Reliability. Whether one-on-ones are held, not moved or dropped when the week gets busy.
  • Who owns the agenda. Whether your team member brings topics, or you run through your list.
  • Depth. Whether you talk about growth and wellbeing, not just status.
  • Follow-through. Whether what you agree happens by the next one.

What do I get at the end?

A 1:1 score out of 100 and three fixes, the three areas furthest from useful, each with one thing to try in your next one-on-one. The bands are “Worth the time” (70 and above), “Useful in parts” (40 to 69) and “Mostly status meetings” (below 40).

1:1 Health Check is built for your team to rate your one-on-ones anonymously. Team mode is coming. For now, you rate them yourself.

How is it worked out?

Each answer runs from 1 (never) to 5 (always). Five of the twelve questions describe a healthy habit, such as “My one-on-ones happen on the agreed day and time”, and are flipped before scoring. Each area’s average shows how far it is from useful. The overall average becomes the score, from 0 to 100.

The questions, areas, bands and advice are a draft written with AI and are waiting for a coach’s review. Treat the result as a mirror, not a verdict.

What should I read or take next?

Read why one-on-ones feel like a waste of time, with a worked example of three fixes over four weeks. If your one-on-ones are where hard feedback should happen but doesn’t, Hard Conversations shows your conflict style. Meeting Tax puts a price on the rest of your recurring meetings, and how to find out what your team really thinks of you helps you ask better questions in them. Every tool for this stage is on the New managers page.

Drafted with AI · coach review pending

Questions people ask

How do you run a good one-on-one?
Hold it at the agreed time and don’t move it. Let your team member bring the first topic. Keep status for a written update and use the time for growth, problems and how they’re doing. End by saying back who will do what by when, and check it next time.
Can my team rate my one-on-ones?
That’s what 1:1 Health Check is built for, and team mode is coming: your team will answer anonymously. For now you rate your own one-on-ones, which is a good first look and the half you’ll compare against.
How is the 1:1 score worked out?
Each answer runs from 1 (never) to 5 (always). Five of the twelve questions describe a healthy habit and are flipped, so every answer measures how far your one-on-ones are from useful. The average becomes a score from 0 to 100, and the three weakest areas are your fixes. It’s a reflection, not a verdict.
Is 1:1 Health Check free, and who sees my answers?
It’s free with no sign-up. Your answers and score stay in your browser; Coach42 never sees them.

More tests for new managers

  1. 07The 42 TestLiveNew managers · Your leadership type across 42 questions
  2. 08Blind SpotLiveNew managers · The gap between how you see yourself and how your team sees you
  3. 09Delegation DetoxLiveNew managers · What you hold on to that you should hand over
  4. 11Hard ConversationsLiveNew managers · How you handle conflict and tough feedback
  5. 12Meeting TaxLiveNew managers · What your team’s recurring meetings cost

New managers: all six tests and posts

From the Question Library

  1. Why do managers avoid difficult conversations?New managers · 9 min read
  2. Why do managers struggle to delegate?New managers · 9 min read
  3. Why do one-on-ones feel like a waste of time?New managers · 9 min read

I notice when someone is overloaded before they tell me.

Drafted with AI · coach review pending