Skill-Based 1:1 Template
A recurring 1:1 agenda structured around one named skill per session instead of a pipeline review, with a timed meeting structure and a rotating 8-week skill-focus calendar.
What's inside
- A timed 30-40 minute meeting structure
- The fill-in template fields (skill focus, evidence, path, commitment)
- A rotating 8-week skill-focus calendar across the ten core competencies
- Ground rules capping deal-talk to 3 minutes
- A 'last commitment check' field to build accountability across sessions
Purpose
A recurring 1:1 agenda built around one named skill per session — so every 1:1 leaves the rep with a specific competency commitment, not a pipeline status update.
Standing Meeting Structure (30-40 min)
| Segment | Time | Content |
|---|---|---|
| Check-in | 3 min | Quick personal/energy check — not deal status |
| Skill Focus | 2 min | Name this session's skill out loud |
| Evidence Review | 12 min | 1-2 real examples from recent calls, discussed |
| Skill-Building Path | 10 min | Peer example, practice rep, or technique |
| Commitment | 5 min | One observable commitment + date |
| (Optional) Pipeline flag | 3 min | Only deals blocked by something outside the rep's control — not a review |
The Template (fill in each session)
Date: ___________ Rep: ___________ Manager: ___________
This session's skill focus: ___________________________________ (pull from the rep's lowest or most strategically relevant score on the Skill-Gap Heatmap)
Evidence discussed (call, date, what happened):
- ___________________________________
- ___________________________________
What we noticed together: ___________________________________
Skill-building path chosen (circle one): Peer shadow / Practice role-play / Technique taught / Other: ______
Detail: ___________________________________
Commitment for next session (specific, observable, dated): ___________________________________
Last session's commitment — did it happen? Y / N / Partially — notes: ___________________________________
Flagged blocker (optional, only if outside rep's control): ___________________________________
Rotating 8-Week Skill Focus Calendar
Use this as a default rotation across the ten core competencies (adjust order based on your team's heatmap priorities — always coach the flagged gaps first):
| Week | Skill Focus |
|---|---|
| 1 | Discovery & Needs Diagnosis |
| 2 | Qualification Rigor |
| 3 | Value Articulation |
| 4 | Objection Navigation |
| 5 | Stakeholder & Multi-thread Management |
| 6 | Negotiation |
| 7 | Deal Control & Closing |
| 8 | Rep's choice — biggest self-identified gap from the last 7 weeks |
Prospecting, Account Growth, and Process Discipline run on a separate quarterly cadence for reps past ramp, since they're less session-to-session variable — check the Skill-Gap Heatmap each quarter to decide if any of these need to break into the weekly rotation.
Ground Rules
- Never spend more than 3 minutes on deal status — that's what pipeline reviews are for, not 1:1s.
- Always name the skill before you start talking about the evidence — the rep should never leave unsure what the session was "about."
- One commitment per session. Two is a to-do list; one is a habit being built.
How to use it
Print or copy one template per session, fill in the skill focus from your rotating calendar (or the team heatmap's priority gaps), and file each completed sheet so you can see the commitment trail across a quarter.