Preperation.

This is the key.

When you get to your 1:1 and your manager asks, “How was your week?” your answer is most likely off the cuff.

Probably, whatever you remember from that day, which of course is a fraction of the whole week, and is also likely a poor reflection of what you actually accomplished.

What I’ve found to be helpful is to use a log of some kind, I call it a learning log, to document what happened that week.

A simple framework I use can be found here.

A little preparation allows you to come to your 1:1 showing your work and getting the most value from your time. After summarizing your highlights and learnings, spend time asking your manger, about problems your facing and actually create some value!

This is especially valuable if your manage has more experience than you can in your field, and if not you can spend the time thinking deeply about the problem together.