Standing one-on-one meetings can be incredibly powerful tools for connection, career development, and productivity—but only if we run them with intention. In this episode, I’m joined by Nicole Case, an executive and leadership coach with a background in corporate HR, to discuss how to hold truly effective one-on-ones—both as a manager and as an employee.

Nicole walks us through what one-on-one meetings are meant to be (spoiler: not status meetings), common mistakes managers and individual contributors make, and how to use these meetings to build trust, increase visibility, reduce burnout, and prevent misalignment. She also shares practical strategies for setting up and running these meetings, including guidance on cadence, agendas, meeting prep, follow-up, and more.

We also talk about:

Why canceling one-on-ones might actually be fueling the very interruptions that frustrate you
The manager’s role in opening up conversations about career development and workload
How employees can use one-on-ones to advocate for themselves and elevate their work
Why even senior leaders benefit from structured one-on-one time
The difference between talking to your boss daily vs. having dedicated time for strategic and personal topics
How to manage follow-through and action items in a lightweight, efficient way

Whether you're a manager wanting to lead better or an employee looking for more meaningful time with your boss, this episode is full of practical takeaways that can transform how you view and use your one-on-one meetings.

Nicole also created a free template to help you run more effective one-on-ones—grab it at https://www.theupgradedleader.com/meeting

You can also follow Nicole on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicole-case-leadership-coach-and-keynote-speaker-for-women/

And Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/nicolecasespeaks/

Links you might enjoy:

🌿 Free 5-Day Time Management Program Get five short, practical video lessons packed with realistic strategies to help you manage your personal and professional life with more clarity and calm.

📱 Follow me on Instagram Get bite-sized, real-life time management tips for working women—like reminders to set mail holds before travel, anonymous day-in-the-life calendars from other professional women, and behind-the-scenes looks at how I manage my own time.

✨ The full Bright Method™️ program If you're ready for a full time management system that's realistic, sustainable, and dare I say… fun, check out the Bright Method program. It's helped hundreds of professional women take back control of their time—and their peace of mind.

Episode 134: Everything You’re Getting Wrong About Intercourse (And How To Get It Right)

Pillow Talks

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