The 3-Part 1:1s System

A Forum for Alignment & Momentum

Most 1:1s don’t drive anything really. They become status meetings. Surface-level check-ins. Everyone knows it, but few companies fix it.

At Hike, we built a 3-part system that transforms 1:1s from time-wasters into a forum or tremendous alignment and growth. In my welcome note to directs, I explicitly say:

“For us to make Agreements & hold each other Accountable to those Agreements. To bring forth the Goods & Not Goods. For feedback to Improve Transparency.”

Here’s exactly how we do it. A full video walkthrough here.

Part 1: Show Me Your Thinking (SMYT)

• Cadence: 1-2 Weeks (20 mins)

• A light, unstructured check-in to ensure my leaders have facetime with me

• This is where directs bring:

  • Half-baked ideas they’re not sure about

  • Controversial opinions about our strategy

  • Wild hypotheses about the business

  • Feedback they’re nervous to share

I like seeing their thinking process, not just their conclusions. And it allows me to ‘gather information’ which is so critical as a CEO.

Part 2: Mid-Quarter Catch Up

• Cadence: Every 45 days (1 hours)

• A more elaborate catch up that has four mandatory sections for my direct to fill in:

  • Goods - What’s giving you energy? Share the good things that happened since we last met. Who’s really kicking ass in the company? Who do you admire?

  • Issues - What’s taking away energy? Talk about challenges that aren’t allowing you to operate by the Hike Code.

  • Growth Areas - What you’re actively working on to improve. Not vague aspirations. Specific skills with progress tracking and root cause analysis.

  • SMYT → Ideas & Other Topics - Anything else top of mind including new ideas or feedback.

This isn’t a status update. It’s a thinking document for a deep conversation.

Every single 1:1 uses our structured template in Coda. You can see the actual template we use here.

Part 3: Magic Questions

• Cadence : Every 3-6 months

• Every quarter, I ask my directs to answer these questions:

  • How are you feeling about your life at work?

  • What is your 5 year career vision? Is what you’re doing now leading you there?

  • How are you feeling about your personal life?

  • How are you feeling about our remote first setup?

  • How are we performing as a company?

  • What is it like to work with the rest of leaders?

  • What is it like to work with me?

  • Is work fun? How can we make work more fun?

  • How many ‘Oh Shit’ moments have you had in the last 3 months?

  • Are you investing in yourself to grow to match expectations for the next 12 months?

No bs. Real answers only. This ensures tremendous alignment and nothing gets left behind the curtain.

The Coda Advantage

Everything lives in one place. Forever.

• Every 1:1 documented

• Every Magic Question response saved

• Every performance review tracked

• Every growth area monitored

My CoS and I can see patterns across months. A direct can look back at their entire journey. New managers inherit complete context.

Documentation creates accountability that conversation can’t.

Making It Work Remote-First

Our system is better remote than it ever was in-person.

Why?

• Async preparation: Directs fill templates before meetings

• Written clarity: Thoughts are structured, not rambling

• Permanent record: No “I think we discussed” confusion

The structure forces preparation. The documentation forces follow-through.

The Non-Negotiables

1. Templates are mandatory - No exceptions

2. Documentation happens real-time - Not after the meeting

3. Growth areas have deadlines - Specific dates, specific outcomes

4. Magic Questions get honest answers - Even when uncomfortable

5. Performance reviews build on history - 26 weeks of context, not surprises

Start Tomorrow

Get the template here. Start with the basic sections:

• Growth Areas

• Goods

• Issues

• SMYT

Use it for 4 weeks. Then add Magic Questions. Then the full performance system.

The key is documentation from day one.

The Choice

Keep having 1:1s that everyone forgets by next week.

Or build a system where every conversation contributes to career growth. Where thinking is valued over status updates. Where documentation drives development.

We chose structure over chaos. Accountability over ambiguity.

Your directs deserve 1:1s that accelerate their careers.

LFG 🚀