What makes a good 1-on-1

Question

In the past I have had managers whose 1:1 meetings were worse than useless. But a couple managers I've had over my career ran excellent 1:1s. What makes a good 1:1?The best one stayed in the room after and took notes, so it always seemed like he had a god-like big picture view. But I can't recall what else made it good, and what we covered.

Festro · Accepted Answer

My old manager used to spreadsheet my KPIs/goals and add notes to it for my grievances/questions. So, each time we'd score the KPIs to see my progress, and check up on the status of all the questions, clearing out any resolved ones.
That made for very clear and easy progress at each 1:1.
Otherwise, we'd always try to get out of the office for it. They'd buy me a coffee or similar. It was nice to change the setting, put me at ease, talk out of earshot, candidly, and feel valued.
I use all of that now myself with anyone I'm managing.

PaulHoule · Answer

Something real to talk about, not just "it is another week it is time for another 1-1"

h2odragon · Answer

Fluid exchange? Yet another reason not to work for family.
How about actual information exchange; and if there's nothing new to update each other on, getting that established as efficiently as possible.
"I know you need to keep up with what im up to, Boss; im still heads down into the bowels of project X which i have been for 3 weeks and crawling out to give a progress report will string entrails across the workroom so don't make me do that, k?"