Most 1:1s die in status, the best ones go deep enough to build trust and speed decisions

Every week, your 1:1s ought to be one of the most meaningful meetings on your calendar, but too often, it turns into an update relay. The result is that the only protected space built for candor and coaching gets consumed by items a dashboard or chat could handle. When 1:1s default to status, managers lose visibility into energy and load, collaborators lose a safe forum to test assumptions and ask for help, and the real issues surface late as escalations.

Refocusing the 1:1 is straightforward. Push status via email or chat, then center the live time on three questions, what is energizing you, what is draining you, and what specific support would help this week. Add a quick pulse on career goals, recognize unseen work, and include one personal check on mood or life load. This turns rapport into reliability, makes early risks visible, and drives clearer decisions because context is finally on the table.

If your next 1:1 uncovered one real blocker, one concrete support need, and one learning you will carry forward, how would your team's momentum change this week?

If this resonates, share with your network to help more teams turn 1:1s into engines of connection and performance.