So, it’s no surprise that many new leaders are rushing through shallow one-on-one meetings or skipping them altogether. This general lack of relationship-building is leading to communication and performance issues down the road.

While skipping meetings may save a few hours here and there, it’s hurting long-term productivity and results. Employees may feel unsupported and disengaged, lacking the motivation to put in their best efforts. Due to the lack of communication, small issues can quickly snowball into large conflicts. This can lead to a growing disconnect between managers and their teams.

The reluctance to hold meetings often stems from past experiences. Both leaders and employees have, at some point, endured poorly structured one-on-ones that felt like a waste of time. As a result, many leaders have developed the opinion that these meetings are time-drainers that take away from important work instead of supporting it.

I’m here to proclaim that leaders must rethink one-on-ones — seeing them not as time drainers, but as productivity boosters. When done right, one-on-one meetings aren’t a roadblock obstructing productivity. They are a catalyst for growth, driving team communication and efficiency.

Most of my clients who have overhauled their approach have been able to rapidly draw a direct line between better one-on-ones and increased productivity.

I recently talked with Conner O’Malley, president of sales and marketing at Superfresh Growers, and he shared that focusing on one-on-ones has led to big improvements in their team communication.

“Through leadership coaching with Connect 2 Potential and an intentional focus for our managers to have more consistent one-on-ones with their direct reports, we have found that ‘live in the moment’ communication within our teams has become much more productive,” said O’Malley.

Catherine Gipe-Stewart, director of marketing at Superfresh Growers echoed this experience. “Working with Wendy, one of the biggest takeaways has been the importance of not ‘dumping and running’ when introducing a new project; I now take the time in one-on-ones to provide context and support, rather than just handing it off and expecting my teammate to figure it out on their own. This has made a huge difference.”

The problem is, very few leaders in the produce industry actually get trained on how to hold effective one-on-ones.

One of the most common mistakes I see managers making is focusing on status updates in their one-on-one meetings. Using the time to go over status updates will lead to a sense of dissatisfaction for everyone in the meeting. Instead, it’s far more efficient to have employees send status updates in advance so the leader can review them in preparation for the meeting.

Another common mistake I see is leaders dominating the conversation in their one-on-ones. The manager should ideally only be talking only 25 percent of the time, and certainly no more than 50 percent. During their talk time, the manager should be mostly asking questions, helping their teammate to find their own way so they become more self-sufficient for the long run.

For leaders trying to hold more effective one-on-ones, a solid strategy is to co-create a one-on-one meeting structure with their team. Co-creating as a team will allow everyone to highlight areas where they feel more discussion or input is needed. I encourage leaders to try different approaches to see what works for their style and with their team.

For example, Traci Sensenig, sales manager at Four Season Produce, recently shared how working with me has changed her approach to one-on-ones. “We’ve always had one-on-ones,” Sensenig said, “but recently, I’ve empowered my team to create the agenda to focus on their needs versus me bringing the topics. The result has been increased productivity, more open communication, and a sense of accountability for the team.”

The next step is to commit to a regular frequency for one-on-ones. A weekly meeting is ideal, but two meetings a month can also work. It’s important to get into a steady routine. If saving time is the priority, know that shorter, more frequent one-on-ones will usually be more effective than longer, less frequent one-on-ones.

Lastly, track team progress and gather feedback to make tweaks to the team’s approach to one-on-ones. Celebrate and build upon improvements.

I always advise leaders to track their own growth as well. One-on-one meetings do more than impact employees; they impact the leaders too. When leaders prioritize intentional, well-structured one-on-ones, they don’t just improve team performance — they save time by reducing interruptions and preventing costly communication breakdowns in the long run.

Wendy McManus, PCC, CPCC, is a leadership coach, speaker and facilitator working primarily with produce industry professionals. Her next event on March 20th, More Than a Meeting, is an interactive workshop teaching leaders in the produce industry how to have better, more effective one-on-ones. Be the first to know when registration opens by signing up here.