The “Unproductive” Part of a 1:1 Is the Most Productive:

When everything is on fire, 1:1s are about fixing problems.
Deadlines.
Performance.
Priorities.
What’s slipping and why.

That’s leadership too.

But once things aren’t on fire anymore… the last 10–15 minutes of a 1:1 shouldn’t feel like a meeting.

That’s where culture actually gets built.

That’s where you ask about their kids.
The trip they mentioned last month.
The Netflix show they’re hooked on.
The project at home they’re proud of.

And yeah, where they learn a little about you too.

Not oversharing.
Not trying to be their buddy.
Just human talking to human.

You can’t be friends with your team.
But you absolutely can be friendly.

That small shift does a few big things:
• People speak up earlier when something’s wrong
• Hard feedback lands better because trust exists
• Loyalty goes up without you ever saying the word “culture”
• Work stops feeling purely transactional

If every conversation with you is about output, your team will only bring you work.

If some conversations are about life, they’ll bring you honesty.

And honesty is what keeps things from catching fire again.