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Christian Heidemeyer

60 Fancy, Fun & Catchy One-on-One Meeting Name Examples

Do you have regular one-to-one meetings with your colleagues and want to make sure that appraisal interviews are not perceived as boring?

That's a good idea! Especially when you look at studies:

💡

"Of 250 direct reports [...] nearly half rated their 1:1 experiences as suboptimal."

Source: Harvard Business Review

And of course there are various ways to achieve this. But the first obvious step can be to give the regular one-on-one meeting or appraisal interview an attractive name.

This is exactly what we will focus on in this article: Which 1 to 1 meeting names and titles are there for which types of one-to-one meetings and which are useful in which situation?

First of all, if you're interested in a general introduction to regular one-to-one meetings, take a look at our post on the subject: A guide: 6 tips for successful 1-to-1 conversations.

And if that's too specific for you: As a manager, do you feel unsure about what systematic & successful people management looks like? Then I have something for you: Our free online people management training course.

Take a look and learn, for example, a trick on how you can increase team performance relatively easily by 10-20%. Feel free to have a look, you can get started right away 🙂 But back to the topic.

Types of 1:1 meetings

One-to-one meeting names & titles: Different types

I've spoken to hundreds of Team Leads over the last few months to develop our one-to-one meeting software (Read more: The 3 best 1:1 software in comparison). It has become quite clear that 1-to-1 meetings and regular employee appraisals are carried out with different objectives in practice. To give you some examples:

  • Operational 1:1s: Some team leads, for example, hold a weekly 30-minute one-to-one meeting with each team member to primarily go through the employee's individual tasks together: Are there blockers in your tasks? Where should I give you feedback so that, for example, you implement the tasks according to the customer's expectations? 
  • Employee development 1:1s: Other managers focus on, for example, bi-weekly or monthly one-on-one meetings that are more focused on developing the team member. For example: What skills (for example, programming languages, soft skills) are you still lacking? What goals do you need to achieve in order to be officially declared a Senior Software Developer?
  • Hybrid one-to-one meetings: These one-on-one meetings are completely open. Both managers and team members bring their topics, which are either aimed at operational tasks or personal development and feedback, etc. 

A tip in between: If you belong to either the second or third group above, I can recommend that you hold the one-to-one meeting on a walk (outside, of course). Fresh air and exercise can be very stimulating when it comes to reflecting and thinking "outside the box". And no excuses: I can say from personal experience that even in remote teams, it's easy to have a relaxed phone call while walking with the help of headphones and have fantastic conversations.

By the way: If you are a manager of software developers, the following article might be of interest to you: 6 Examples of feedback to software developers.

And if you're interested in the future of 1:1 meetings between managers and employees, take a look at this video: Will people managers be replaced by this AI in 1:1 meetings?

Names for operational 1:1 meetings

1-1 Meeting names & titles for operational meetings

Let's move on to a list that now focuses on operational meetings and employee appraisals. What standard names are there, and what catchy alternative titles are possible?

Standard names for operational 1:1 meetings

  1. Jour Fix
  2. Catch-Up
  3. Weekly Check-In
  4. Weekly Debrief
  5. 1:1 [Name of employee] x [Your name]
  6. Status update
  7. Task-Talk
  8. Weekly review
  9. Project update

Creative names for operational 1:1 meetings

After the usual names, here are some more creative examples of one-to-one meetings and employee appraisal titles:

  1. Tactics meeting
  2. Mission Briefing
  3. Next-Step-Session
  4. Task Lounge
  5. Sync & Solve
  6. Focus Forum
  7. Action Hour
  8. Workflow workshop
  9. Roadmap update
  10. Special Ops Meeting

Catchy or fun names for operational 1:1 meetings

After the creative names, here are some catchy and fun examples of one-to-one meeting titles:

  1. Task-Tuesday (or adapt to the respective weekday)
  2. What's-on-round
  3. Master plan Meeting
  4. Coffee klatch
  5. The To-Do Show
A quick note at this point: In addition to the names, the content of one-to-one meetings is of course much more relevant in order to have an energetic and productive conversation. Our Echometer software can help you with this.
 
In our blog you will find some examples of the templates in our tool (e.g. weekly, annual, 1-1 with difficult employees...): 15 proven 1-1 meeting templates to edit (free).
 
Our software itself not only provides you with various templates and suggested questions for your one-to-one meeting and ensures that measures are not forgotten. It even helps to make employee development measurable. Take a look by simply trying out this template here:

No small talk, no awkward pauses. 🥱 This 1:1 template simply always works.

💬 From the template:
  • What achievement are you proud of that I may not have noticed?
  • What small change would immediately improve your work?
  • What would you like to take more time for at work?

...

Open in 1:1 Tool
Names for development-oriented 1:1 meetings

One-to-one meeting name & title: Employee development

This should give you good inspiration for meetings and regular appraisal interviews that focus on operational tasks. Let's say, however, that you want to focus primarily on the employee's further development in the meeting. 

Then the first tip I can give you is to choose good questions. Good questions are key to initiating a constructive coaching process. Have a look here: 129 Clever one-on-one meeting questions. 

So let's move on to some examples of catchy and fun names and titles for your regular one-to-one routine:

Standard names for development-oriented 1:1 meetings

  1. Development check-in
  2. Career feedback interview
  3. Coaching session
  4. Development discussion
  5. Progress review
  6. Career 1:1
  7. Personal Growth Talk
  8. Goal Check-in
  9. 1:1 Performance Review

Creative names for Development-oriented 1:1 meetings

After the usual names, here are some more creative examples of one-to-one meeting titles:

  1. Grow & Glow (my personal favorite)
  2. Unfolding round
  3. Next-Level-Talk
  4. Future time
  5. Growth Workshop
  6. Skill Spotlight
  7. Personal roadmap session
  8. Development Debrief
  9. Up-Talk
  10. Growth Engine Room

"Why do my employees never bring topics to the 1:1 meetings?"

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"I'm honestly too often ill-prepared for the 1:1 meetings as a manager."

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"My employees don’t open up to me in 1:1s."

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"I like this employee, but he's underperforming. How can I address this in 1:1s?"

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"I often don't know whether I was too hard – or too soft – in my 1:1s to make a positive impact."

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"I can’t identify patterns or trends across my 1:1s. Everything feels isolated."

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Casual or humorous names for development-oriented 1:1 meetings

After the creative names, here are some catchy and fun examples of one-to-one meeting titles:

  1. Level-up round
  2. Career Coffee Break
  3. Boost & Balance
  4. Dream Big Talk
  5. What-do-you-want-to-be-Round
  6. Feedback & Fine-tuning
  7. Next Step Catch-up
  8. Booster Talk
  9. Grow-Time

Personalized names (depending on the employee or context):

Basically, it obviously makes sense to adapt the meeting name to the person or to mention the names of both participants. In the best case, this can be done by using a suitable word that fits the person, perhaps an alliteration (see first two examples). Alternatively, you can simply introduce the name as it is.

  1. Growing Gregor 1:1 | [Your name]
  2. From Robert to Rocket 1:1 | [your name]
  3. [name of employee]'s development check | [your name]
  4. Your-plan-1:1 | [Your name]
  5. Growth path with [name of employee] | [your name]
  6. Tobi's Talent Talk | [Your Name]
  7. Vision session | [Your name]

By the way, I have now made a YouTube video in which I present the results of my little research: I asked 100 managers in qualitative interviews why they actually do one-to-one meetings – feel free to take a look:

General examples

Examples of common 1-1 conversation names & titles

If you haven't found anything suitable here because your one-to-one meetings may be aimed at different goals, I would like to give you some more general examples of good one-to-one meeting titles and names.

  • Work and development discussion
  • All-round check
  • Target and status update
  • Progress & Growth Meeting
  • Momentum Meeting
  • Growth & Goals discussion
  • Vision & Action Talk
  • Next Steps & Big Picture
  • Your Hour
  • Flow & Feedback Round
  • Coffee & Clarity
  • To-dos and Dreams
  • Mission & Vision Sync

As there aren't so many suggestions this time, I've mixed the fun and unusual names with the classics. I think you'll still be able to tell them apart...

If you also want to take your conversations to a new level, I can recommend good templates – see for example our post on this: 5 templates for regular employee check-ins.

1:1 names for each day of the week

Too boring? Fun 1:1 meeting names per weekday

Depending on the day of the week, it can be a refreshing routine to come up with a special name for each day of the week:

Monday

  • Mission Monday
  • Madness Monday
  • Magic Monday
  • Mindful Monday
  • Motivation Monday

Tuesday (tip: also works for Thursday)

  • Turn-Up Tuesday
  • Tackle Tuesday

Wednesday

  • Work-In-Progress Wednesday
  • Winning Wednesday
  • Wisdom Sharing Wednesday

Thursday (tip: also works for Tuesday)

  • Thankful Thursday
  • Think Tank Thursday
  • Thriving Thursday
  • Throwback Thursday

Friday

  • Feel-Good Friday
  • Finish Friday
  • Focus Friday

What software developer wouldn't be happy to receive an invitation to an appointment with a title like that? 😄

Let's go to the meta-level for a moment: Imagine you're having your one-to-one conversations, but your team performance still isn't changing. What could be the reason for this? I have an idea. Take a look at my YouTube video on the topic of "Team Performance Hack":

A simple tip for better 1:1 meetings

Could your 1:1 meetings be better?

We have conducted countless interviews with managers on the subject of 1-to-1 meetings. One pattern: not all meetings are as measurably productive as they could be (our picture below is of course a little exaggerated). Yet many challenges could easily be solved!

Imagine your 1-to-one meetings looked like this:

  • 💹 Measurability of employee development in clear KPIs
  • 🤖 Notes are generated automatically, while you focus on the conversation.
  • 😍 Fun, relaxed conversations – and all 1:1 meeting data in one single tool

If this sounds interesting, our 1-to-1 meeting tool Echometer might be of interest to you. Take a look at our website here:

Learn more about 1:1 Tool
Conclusion

Conclusion - Fun & Fancy One-to-One Meeting Titles

Regular one-to-one meetings are a key tool for managers to advance operational issues as well as to promote the personal and professional development of team members. However, the success of these meetings depends heavily on perception: Is the meeting perceived as inspiring and valuable, or merely worked through as routine?

An attractive name for your one-to-one meeting is a simple but effective first step to clearly communicate the focus and intention of the discussions – and perhaps also create some anticipation.

In the end, of course, it's not about the name, but about the attitude behind it: Use the opportunity to solve blockers, give feedback and build real relationships. Of course, good one-to-one meeting software can also help you do this. If this sounds interesting to you, take a look at our Echometer tool. You can simply start the software via the link below, maybe the template is even suitable for your regular "Grow & Glow Meeting":

No small talk, no awkward pauses. 🥱 This 1:1 template simply always works.

💬 From the template:
  • What achievement are you proud of that I may not have noticed?
  • What small change would immediately improve your work?
  • What would you like to take more time for at work?

...

Open in 1:1 Tool

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FAQ about the 1:1 meeting tool

In Echometer there are two separate software solutions that are available within each workspace in Echometer:

  • 1:1 tool: Software for planning and conducting 1:1 meetings and tracking employee development
  • Retrospective tool: Software for planning and moderating retrospectives and tracking team development through team health checks

Both are independent software solutions, so they can be used separately from each other.

However, they work according to the same principles and aim to achieve the same added value: The continuous improvement of agile teams. In this respect, the simultaneous use of both software solutions is recommended.

Yes, you can assign administration rights to any number of users at both team level and workspace level. Please note the following:

  • Only workspace admins can take out and manage a Echometer subscription for a Echometer workspace.
  • Only workspace admins can create additional teams and name or remove additional workspace admins.
  • Team admins can appoint and remove additional team admins and team members for their team

First, simply register for free in Echometer. Then navigate to the workspace for which you would like to purchase the 1:1 software. If you haven't already done so, you can do so here: Create account in Echometer 1:1 tool

You can then manage your subscription (for both the retro tool and the 1:1 software) within the workspace settings.

You can choose from various payment methods when upgrading.

If you do not have access to your company's credit card yourself, you can simply add a buyer as a workspace admin in your Echometer workspace so that this admin can carry out the upgrade for you.

The best one-on-one meeting tool for managers (especially in agile remote teams) is probably Echometer. Why?

  • Typical HR management software providers (such as Lattice, Leapsome and 15Five) also offer 1:1 tools, but primarily market their complex HR suite and the functions for 1:1 meetings are less mature. In addition, HR software providers focus primarily on the needs of HR departments, not on the needs of employees and managers.
  • While generic tools for meeting transcriptions and summaries (such as Granola, Fellow or Spinach) also provide good summaries just like Echometer, Echometer also offers integrated AI coaching for managers and versatile templates, suggestions for employee development and building blocks for designing effective one-to-one meetings.

So here's a tip: If you're looking for the best one-on-one meeting software, take a look at Echometer's 1:1 tool first. The 1:1 tool from Echometer is even free for an unlimited number of 1:1 meetings with up to 2 employees: Try out the 1:1 tool Echometer

Yes, the Echometer one-to-one meeting software is the only 1:1 tool we know of that gives the manager feedback as an AI coach on how the next one-to-one meeting can be facilitated even better.

Typical tips from the AI coach are, for example:

  • Advice to ask more open and less suggestive questions
  • Use clarifying questions to ensure the same understanding of what is being said
  • Indication of a possibly uneven distribution of speeches or too little structure in the meeting.

The Echometer one-to-one meeting software helps managers to accelerate the development of their employees through the following everyday functions:

  • Hashtags: Making recurring topics recognizable and tracking long-term employee goals
  • Check-ins: Quantitative assessment of any factors relating to the employee's performance or development (including self-assessment)
  • AI coach: Based on the transcript of the one-on-one meetings, managers receive tips and advice on how they can coach their employees even better and involve them in the conversation.

Yes, with the Echometer 1-to-1 meeting software app you can track employee performance and goal achievement:

  • Check-in surveys can be used to measure the performance of employees (based on subjective statements). The assessment can be carried out during the one-to-one meeting (or even before) as a self-assessment by both the employee and the manager. The assessment can then be reflected on together in the one-to-one meeting.
  • Todos and action items for goal tracking and employee performance development can also be recorded in the one-on-one meeting notes.
  • You can also use hashtags in the one-on-one meeting notes to record and track qualitative progress towards employee goals. For example, you can use the hashtag on a measure to assign this measure to the employee goal.

Yes, in the Echometer one-to-one meeting software, both the manager and the employee can create and manage actions and tasks. For each new one-to-one meeting, the outstanding tasks from previous meetings are displayed.

Compared to other software apps for one-on-one meetings, the following functions are unique:

  • While other tools such as Granola are limited to the AI summary, Echometer also uses the transcript for the integrated AI coach for managers
  • In addition, the check-ins (i.e. statements with a scale answer) are a unique function in their concrete implementation in Echometer: employees can answer the statements before or during the 1:1 meetings and then trends are automatically created from the answers.
  • Integration with software for team retrospectives: Echometer is the only tool on the market that integrates software for agile retrospectives alongside the one-to-one meeting software and thus offers all tools for the essential management tasks in agile remote teams from a single source.

The 1-on-1 meeting software Echometer places particular emphasis on the following features that make it unique on the market:

  • AI coach: The 1-on-1 meeting software Echometer records an audio transcript of the meeting and uses an AI to give the manager tips on how to improve the next meeting.
  • Template library: The tool helps managers to discuss the right questions and topics in the one-to-one meeting with a well-founded library of questions and templates in order to develop employees in a targeted manner. The visual, lovingly designed "conversation starters" in particular are rated by managers as valuable icebreakers in 1-to-1 meetings.
  • Employee development KPIs: The software also helps to make trends in employee development historically visible through survey KPIs, so-called check-ins, in a beautiful analysis dashboard. These check-ins can be taken from the library (e.g. job satisfaction, customer focus, etc.) or created flexibly.
  • Employee goals and recurring topics through hashtag management: The flexible hashtag feature makes it easy to record and filter employee goals or other recurring topics, for example to call them up in the annual employee appraisal.
  • Private notes: Echometer offers the option of recording private notes in addition to the notes that are shared with the employee in the 1-on-1 meeting series. This means that these notes are not visible to the employee, but are still stored directly in the same place as the actual 1-on-1 meeting agenda.
  • Direct access to retrospective software: Echometer is the only tool on the market that offers integrated software for agile retrospectives in addition to one-to-one meeting software.

In summary, these features make Echometer one of the best, if not the best, software for remote one-on-one meetings between employees and their managers.

The following are confirmed, independent statements from customers and users of the Echometer one-to-one meeting software:

  • Joël Vierboom, Agile Coach & Team Coach at JTL-Software GmbH: "The software has paid for itself super quickly by saving me many hours of work. I hold a lot of 1-1 meetings and the tool has taken them to a new level in terms of efficiency and productivity!"
  • Michael Engel, Team Lead IT: "It's annoying when you have to change tools for every 1:1 meeting. Since I've been using Echometer, this has changed to – and I even have an overview of the development trends of individual employees. A highly recommended tool!"
  • Ronny Engel, Team Lead Development IoT at SMF GmbH: "I'm thrilled! More structure in our 1:1s, better discussions and ultimately more progress. Props to the Echometer team!"
  • Matt Alioto, Director of Engineering at Smyl Fitness: "One of the things that my own boss has done to support me, is get me a communications coach. And I actually had a meeting with her a couple of days ago and I showed her this [Echometer] feature, and it blew her mind, absolutely."

The Echometer 1-to-1 meeting software offers a generous free plan: managers can hold unlimited free one-to-one meetings with up to two of their employees.

If you want to hold 1-to-1 meetings with more than two employees, you have to switch to a fee-based tariff:

  • Monthly 29€ per manager with an annual subscription, or
  • Monthly subscription of €35 per manager

So you only pay for the 1-to-1 meeting software for managers and not for employees.

Further information on the prices of the Echometer tool for one-on-one meetings can be found here: Echometer Prices One-On-One Meeting Software

The Echometer one-to-one meeting software offers integration with the Microsoft calendar. This synchronizes the appointments from the appointment series with the 1:1 meetings in Echometer.

If, for example, appointments are moved in the Microsoft calendar, the meeting in Echometer is also automatically moved.

Echometer also offers a login with Google. SSO (Single Sign On) is also available in paid plans.

Yes, Echometer's 1-to-1 meeting software offers a generous free plan:

  • Managers can hold unlimited free one-on-one meetings with up to two of their employees.
  • All functions are also included in the free version.

You only need a paid license if you want to hold 1-to-1 meetings with more than two employees. Only one paid license per manager is required. Employees are free of charge.

Further information on the prices of Echometer's tool for On-on-One Meetings can be found here: Prices Echometer's 1:1 Meeting Software Tool

Yes, both the software tool for 1-on-1 meetings and the tool for team retros from Echometer are secure and GDPR-compliant.

Data in Echometer is sent in encrypted form and also stored in encrypted form on servers in Germany.

Several European financial institutions have chosen to purchase Echometer over competitors due to Echometer's stringent data security measures.

Echometer is the best software tool for On-On-One Meetings for the following reasons:

  • Collaborative notes with integrated AI summary (based on the transcript)
  • Integrated AI coach for managers with the option of recording central KPIs for employee development
  • Simple evaluation of trends in preparation for performance reviews and employee coaching –
  • "Everything in one place": Echometer allows the tracking of recurring topics and employee goals via hashtags in the meeting notes, allows private notes for participants and an extensive template library for 1:1 meetings with agenda building blocks.

One-to-one meetings are accordingly very effective for managers with Echometer's software for 1-to-1 meetings and yet simple and time-saving.

Echometer's software for one-to-one meetings can also be tried out on a permanent free plan: Try the best 1-to-1 meeting software for free

The greatest strength of the one-to-one meeting tool Echometer is to increase employee engagement in 1-on-1 meetings. This is made possible by:

  • As a moderator of 1-to-1 meetings, you can fall back on versatile templates for 1:1 meetings
  • The integrated AI coach supports managers in organizing 1-to-1 meetings.

Users confirm that 1-on-1 meetings with Echometer are more fun and more productive than average.

The one-on-one meeting software Echometer has a diverse range of features that make it unique on the market.

  • Agenda management: The interactive and synchronized agenda helps the two participants to set the agenda at an early stage.
  • Notes management: Notes can be transparently recorded at any time in the synchronized agenda by both the employee and the manager.
  • Template library: The tool helps managers to discuss the right questions and topics in the one-to-one meeting with a well-founded library of questions and templates in order to develop employees in a targeted manner.
  • AI summary: The Echometer 1-to-1 meeting software records an audio transcript of the call and summarizes the conversation to save time. In addition, tasks are automatically recorded, thus laying the foundation for preparing the next one-to-one meeting in a time-saving manner.
  • Integrated AI Coach: The one-to-one meeting software Echometer records an audio transcript of the meeting and uses an AI to give the manager tips on how to improve the next meeting.
  • Employee development KPIs: The software also helps to make trends in employee development historically visible through survey KPIs, known as check-ins, in a beautiful analysis dashboard. This allows, for example, the sentiment or mood of employees to be measured over time.
  • Task management: The 1-to-1 software Echometer helps employees and managers to manage action items from the one-on-one meeting in a dashboard so that tasks are not forgotten.
  • Employee goals through hashtag management: The flexible hashtag feature makes it easy to record and filter employee goals or other recurring topics, for example to call them up in the annual employee appraisal.
  • Private notes: Echometer offers the option of recording private notes in addition to the notes that are shared with the employee in the 1-to-1 meeting series. This means that these notes are not visible to the employee, but are still stored directly in the same place as the actual 1-to-1 meeting agenda.
  • Automatic reminders: In the Echometer one-to-one meeting software, you can set both you and your employees to receive a reminder via e-mail before the 1-to-1 meeting. This helps to ensure that the meeting agenda is better prepared on both sides.
  • Calendar integration: The Echometer one-to-one meeting software offers integration with the Microsoft calendar. This means that meetings that are moved in the Microsoft calendar, for example, are also automatically moved in the Echometer calendar.
  • All-in-one dashboard: Echometer offers a dashboard where you can see all employee tasks and results of the last check-in survey KPIs in one place. This helps enormously to get an overview of the status in the team.
  • Direct access to retrospective software: Echometer is the only tool on the market that offers integrated software for agile retrospectives in addition to one-to-one meeting software.

In summary, these features make Echometer one of the best, if not the best, software for one-to-one meetings between employees and their managers.

Echometer's one-to-one meeting software is a tool that supports the conduct of regular one-to-one meetings between managers and employees. Especially in online or virtual remote 1-to-1 meetings, it helps to conduct productive meetings in a time-saving manner thanks to various features.

The 1:1 meeting software from Echometer includes, among other things:

  • Customizable 1:1 meeting templates
  • Collaborative live editor for meeting notes
  • Transcription and AI summary
  • AI coaching tips
  • Library for conversation starters (open questions) and check-ins (scale evaluations)
  • Tracking recurring topics and goals with hashtags
  • Evaluation options for check-ins (scale ratings with comments) to analyze trends in employee satisfaction and other factors
  • Private notes for both participants

Further questions?

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