A weekly People-Product-Process script and Notion workflow that turns 1:1s into coaching, accountability, and alignment tools, preventing status-drift and building a searchable history.
The core idea is a repeatable People-Product-Process script that structures every weekly 1:1 with an engineer. By front-loading small talk, then moving through people health, product focus, and process friction, the meeting stays coaching-centric instead of a status dump. The format is captured in a shared Notion page where each session creates a new header, preserving a chronological log that both manager and report can reference.
Coaching becomes a concrete habit: the manager notes what the report should keep doing and what to stop, without waiting for formal reviews. Regular, fixed-time slots signal that the conversation matters, improving accountability and giving early warning of issues before they fester. The script also forces alignment checks, asking whether the engineer's work matches personal growth goals and team priorities.
The Notion setup adds automation. New entries sit at the top, making recent topics visible, and the next week's header is pre-filled with forward-looking notes, turning the document into a reminder system. Follow-ups are logged inline, so the manager can async-track commitments without digging through tickets. This low-tech tool replaces noisy Slack threads and scattered docs with a single source of truth.
Overall, the method reduces meeting drift, surfaces hidden blockers, and builds a documented history that boosts trust. Managers who adopt it report clearer insight into team dynamics, more focused product conversations, and a measurable increase in the usefulness of 1:1s.
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