What this template is for

One-to-one meetings often deal with progress, support, expectations, concerns and agreed next steps. Good notes help both people leave with the same understanding of what was discussed, what has been agreed, and what needs to happen next.

The aim is not to create a verbatim transcript. The aim is to produce a clear, fair and useful record.

How to use it effectively

Before the meeting

• Be clear about the purpose of the meeting and the outcomes you need from it.
• Where possible, prepare a short agenda or topic list in advance so both people know what needs to be covered.
• If one person is leading the meeting, they should be familiar with the agenda and ready to guide the conversation clearly.
• Think ahead about the actions, decisions or support points that may need to be captured.

During the meeting

• Record the key themes, agreed points and any actions that need to be taken.
• Note who is responsible for each action and when it should be followed up.
• Keep the tone factual, respectful and proportionate.
• Where something is sensitive, consider carefully whether it should appear in the main record or be handled through the appropriate confidential process.

After the meeting

• Review the notes promptly while the conversation is still fresh.
• Sense-check that the wording is fair, accurate and easy to understand.
• Share actions or agreed follow-up with the relevant person as soon as reasonably possible.
• Store the notes in line with your organisation’s approach to confidentiality and record-keeping.