Make 1:1s high-leverage
Roshni Chellani advises treating 1:1s as high-leverage meetings for feedback, career conversations and context rather than status updates, especially for new managers building direct reports. The emphasis is on using 1:1s to surface development needs and coaching opportunities instead of turning them into routine status checkpoints. (x.com)
Most managers burn their one-on-ones on project updates that could have been a Slack message or a two-line email. The better use is the one thing a shared document cannot do: a private conversation about feedback, roadblocks, and where someone is trying to grow. (hbr.org) That idea is old-school in the best way. In *High Output Management*, former Intel chief executive Andy Grove called the one-on-one a teaching and information-gathering vehicle, not a routine checkpoint. (get-alfred.ai) Modern management advice keeps landing in the same place. Harvard Business Review says poorly run one-on-ones leave employees disconnected, while well-run ones improve efficiency, trust, psychological safety, motivation, and engagement. (hbr.org) The format matters as much as the frequency. Baylor University’s manager guidance says the meeting should be employee-driven, with the direct report setting the agenda in advance so the conversation covers what is most important to them. (baylor.edu) That changes the manager’s job inside the meeting. Instead of talking through every task, the manager listens, asks questions, takes notes, and looks for patterns like a blocker that keeps repeating, a skill gap that needs coaching, or a career goal that has gone unstated for months. (baylor.edu) Status updates are not banned, but they are supposed to be the side dish. Baylor’s guidance says not to waste one-on-one time on updates that could simply be emailed, which is the clearest test for whether a topic belongs in the room. (baylor.edu) This is especially important for new managers. Lattice’s 2026 guide says one-on-ones are where managers coach, support, build trust, address obstacles, and connect performance to career growth, which are exactly the habits first-time managers have to build early. (lattice.com) The cadence is usually simple: 30 minutes every week, with some roles stretching to 45 or 60 minutes when the work is more complex. What makes the meeting “high leverage” is not the calendar slot but the ratio of signal to noise inside it. (baylor.edu) There is also a measurable payoff. Baylor cites Gallup research finding that employees who have regular one-on-ones with their manager are almost three times as likely to be engaged as employees who do not. (baylor.edu) So the practical shift is small but sharp: move project tracking to team meetings and written updates, then protect one-on-ones for context, coaching, and candor. If a direct report leaves the meeting with clearer feedback, a solved blocker, or a next step for growth, the time was used well. (hbr.org)
