“The Leadership Superpower Hidden in Plain Sight”

Ask any leader what they need most, and the answer is almost always the same: Time. Yet what many overlook is that it’s not about having more time — it’s about using it differently.

After 17 years delivering leadership programs across both public and private sectors, I believe there is one simple practice that has the potential to absolutely transform leadership impact: the humble One-on-One meeting.

One of the most frequent comments I hear from leaders at all levels is “I just don’t have enough time”. This often comes with the realization that they are failing to dedicate sufficient time to the differential needs of their team members — what we often refer to as people management.

The Cost of Reactive Leadership

The consequence is reactive leadership.

Dealing with people issues on the fly, or worse still, after they’ve gone unnoticed and reached crisis point, with significant implications for team cohesion and performance.

However, this is the reality for many leaders — lurching from one meeting to the next, putting out spot fires and reacting to the seemingly ever-changing priorities of their line management.

Enter the Humble One-on-One Meeting

Enter the humble One on One Meeting.

I know what you’re thinking…
“How can more meetings be the answer? Don’t I have enough meetings swamping my calendar already!”

Yes, you do — but you’re looking at it all wrong.

This meeting will save you time and make you a more proactive, purposeful, and efficient leader.

Common Excuses Leaders Give for Avoiding One-on-Ones

In my conversations with leaders, I hear a range of reasons as to why they don’t conduct one-on-one meetings. These include:

• “I’m too busy”
• “I don’t have enough time”
• “It was a bit of a Chat-fest”
• “It was good initially, but they just fell away”
• “Our office is open plan – so it’s not really private”
• “We talk informally all the time, so we don’t really need them”
• “I have an open-door policy, so they know they can approach me any time”
• “We already catch up once a quarter for their performance discussions”
• “My team is too large. I already waste enough time in meetings”

I get it.

I can hear my younger self saying the same things and digging up additional reasons for not implementing them in the first place — or letting them slide and eventually disappear off the radar.

But let’s have a look at the counter argument.

The Counter Argument: Why One-on-Ones Actually Save Time

Proactivity Takes Less Time

When you meet regularly with your team member, you stay on top of things. You catch issues as they are emerging, you re-align, re-prioritise and redirect.

Your team member will come to this meeting focused, prepared, and ready to take advantage of your attention.

Purposeful and Structured

The Chat-fest will disappear when you have a structure and focus to your one-on-one meetings.

You will be prepared and so will your team member, and as you progress a certain cadence and rhythm will emerge.

That doesn’t mean you can’t take a different tack from time to time — just to keep things interesting or to focus on a specific issue requiring additional time and energy.

Where There’s a Will, There’s a Way

Once you realise the benefits of one-on-ones, you will move heaven and earth to maintain them and protect them from other intrusions.

You will find an appropriate location despite your open plan office — think meeting room, quiet room, café, or even walking and talking.

One-on-Ones Are Different

Performance appraisal discussions, informal communications, and open-door policies are all good interactions — but they are different to one-on-ones, and they serve very different purposes.

Let’s Flex and Adapt

What works for you?
And what meets the needs of your team members?

A new hire might benefit from weekly meetings for the first 90 days, whereas your “go-to” seasoned performer may only require a 30-minute catch-up once a month.

You may have periods of more frequent meetings — for example, during a stressful or volatile period — and then ease back to a spaced-out cadence when things return to BAU.

The Real Benefits of One-on-One Meetings

So why do I harp on about one-on-one meetings?
Here are just a few of the reasons that these meetings are well worth the time and effort.

• Enhanced communication — Provide a private, focused space for open and honest dialogue.
• Build trust and relationships — Show genuine interest and investment in staff, fostering loyalty and psychological safety.
• Provide tailored feedback — Recognise achievements, address challenges, and guide professional growth in a safe environment.
• Support career development — Check in on development plans, explore aspirations, and map clear pathways for progression.
• Improve alignment and accountability — Clarify priorities, set expectations, and connect tasks to organisational goals.
• Surface obstacles early — Identify and address issues and barriers before they impact performance. Ask: “Is there anything else you would like to discuss today?”
• Boost engagement and retention — Demonstrate care and support, leading to higher morale and commitment.
• Gain leadership insight — Gain a clear view of team wellbeing, workload, and culture.

Leadership Is About Investing Time Wisely

Whilst one-on-one meetings are not a panacea, they represent a powerful and efficient mechanism to ensure your team members get what they need to be successful and thrive under your leadership.

When executed correctly, this humble little meeting might just be the transformative process you need to stay on top of your responsibilities and create real, sustainable impact.

Leadership isn’t about managing time — it’s about investing it wisely.
And few investments yield greater returns than the simple, structured, human connection of a One-on-One.