The Operations Room: A Podcast for COO’s

74. The Art and Science of 1:1 Meetings

Mar 13, 2025

Join Dr. Steven Rogelberg, a Chancellor’s Professor at UNC Charlotte and a pivotal figure in meeting science, as he dives into the art and science of one-on-one meetings. He reveals how cancellation sends unintended signals that can erode trust. Listening, he argues, trumps speaking for effective engagement. Furthermore, structured meetings can enhance productivity and team inclusion. Discover why many managers struggle with these interactions—not due to apathy, but a lack of training to make them meaningful.

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ADVICE

Regular One-on-Ones

Schedule one-on-one meetings regularly (weekly or bi-weekly).
Keep these meetings short (15-20 minutes) and focused on your direct reports.

ADVICE

Active Listening

Focus on listening more than speaking in one-on-ones.
Ask open-ended questions like, "Tell me more," or "How can I better support you?"

ADVICE

Avoid Cancellations

Reschedule one-on-ones instead of canceling them.
If you have to cancel, try to reschedule it sooner rather than later.

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In this episode we discuss: the art and science of 1 to 1 meetings. We are joined by Dr. Steven Rogelberg, CEO, Board Member, Editor, Author, Chief Talent Officer, Director.

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We chat about the following with Steven Rogelberg:

Are your one-on-ones actually driving engagement, or are they just another meeting on the calendar?
What message are you really sending when you cancel a one-on-one—and how does it impact employee trust?
Why is listening more than speaking the secret to making one-on-ones truly effective?
How can structured one-on-ones boost productivity, retention, and even inclusion within your team?
Are most managers failing at one-on-ones simply because they’ve never been trained to do them well?

References

https://www.linkedin.com/in/rogelberg/
stevenrogelberg.com

Biography

Dr. Steven G. Rogelberg is a Chancellor’s Professor at UNC Charlotte and a leading expert on meetings. An award-winning organizational psychologist, he has over 200 publications, 12,000+ citations, and received the prestigious Humboldt Award for his research. Adam Grant calls him the “world’s leading expert on how to fix meetings.”

His book The Surprising Science of Meetings appeared on 25+ “best of” lists, including The Washington Post’s #1 leadership book to watch. His latest book, Glad We Met: The Art and Science of 1:1 Meetings, has earned high praise, including recognition from SHRM and Forbes.

Rogelberg has been featured on CBS This Morning, CNN, BBC World, NPR’s Morning Edition, and major publications like The WSJ, NY Times, Bloomberg, and National Geographic. His keynotes have been delivered worldwide at top organizations including Google, Amazon, Pfizer, and the United Nations.

In 2022, he testified before the U.S. Congress and was the inaugural winner of SIOP’s Humanitarian Award.

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Summary

14:40 The Importance of One-on-Ones

17:48 Common Mistakes in One-on-Ones

23:40 Building Trust and Connection

26:51 Key Elements of Effective One-on-Ones

27:22 Surprising Insights from Research

30:34 Training and Supporting Line Managers

33:28 Creating a Culture of Effective Meetings

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