Plan my first one-on-ones with a team I've just inherited
An announcement, conversation guide, and note template for your first one-on-ones with a team you've taken over.
The prompt
Help me plan my first one-on-one conversations with a team I've just taken over. This is step 1 of the 'Take over an existing team' pack.
Team size and roles: [DETAILS]
How I got here: [promoted from within / new to the company / replacing a manager who left - and how they left]
What I've heard so far: [CONTEXT from my boss, HR, or the previous manager]
My first impressions or worries: [DETAILS]
Time available: [e.g. "45 minutes each in my first two weeks"]
Return:
1. A short message to the team announcing the 1:1s, what they're for, and that there's nothing to prepare.
2. A 45-minute conversation guide: an opener that builds trust, then 10-12 questions on their role, what's working, what's frustrating, what they'd change, career goals, how they like to work and get feedback, and what they need from me.
3. Variations for a former peer (if I was promoted from within), someone who wanted my job, and a long-tenured expert.
4. What not to do in these meetings: promise fixes on the spot, criticize the previous manager, or announce changes before I've listened.
5. A simple note-taking template so I can spot patterns across conversations.
Remind me to keep personal details people share in confidence and to follow up on anything I say I'll look into.
Highlighted [brackets] are blanks to replace with your own details.
Fill in the blanks and use this promptMore Leadership & Management prompts
What to fill in
- DETAILS
- CONTEXT from my boss, HR, or the previous manager
- e.g. "45 minutes each in my first two weeks"
How this prompt is built
This prompt follows the RTF structure (Role, Task, Format). RTF tells the model who to be, what to do and what shape the answer should take. It is the quickest structure that still gives noticeably better results than a bare request.
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