Leading

The Unbundled One-on-One

As a CEO, I spent 15% of my time in one-on-ones. If I were running the company today, I'd spend 3%.

That's 6 hours back every week.

I'm watching leaders experiment with a different rhythm: one-on-ones that are monthly or ad hoc instead of weekly, and direct-report counts climbing from 6-8 toward 10-15.

The unlock is simple. Ban the status update.

Leave status updates to open channels, where AI is already synthesizing the inputs and is starting to surface data-driven feedback directly. As a leader, have the discipline not to talk about the work in a one-on-one. Make it solely about the person.

When status leaves the room, what's left are topics of substance: two-way feedback and career outlook. That's a monthly conversation, not a weekly one.

Some leaders aren't increasing their direct reports. They are putting the additional hours back into their craft, pairing on hard problems instead of hearing about them secondhand. Leaders with more direct reports are proving a flatter org was possible all along. Both approaches are working.

The one-on-one isn't dying. We're just right-sizing the ritual. Doing the work is way more fun than talking about it.