A former Facebook director believes the traditional weekly one-on-one meetings between managers and their direct reports could use a significant overhaul. In a detailed post on X, Aditya Agarwal, who served as the Chief Technology Officer at Dropbox and was among the early engineers at Facebook, criticized the conventional weekly check-in format. With over a decade of experience conducting these meetings, Agarwal discovered that they often devolved into critical sessions focused on minor issues rather than substantial growth or support, stating they "descend into nitpicking sessions." Currently a partner at South Park Commons, a collective aimed at fostering community among tech innovators, Agarwal argues for less frequent, more meaningful feedback sessions, proposing a shift to every three to six months to allow for more comprehensive and pattern-based feedback.
Conversely, Steven G. Rogelberg, an organizational psychologist and professor at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, offers a slightly different perspective. His research into one-on-one meetings highlights the pitfalls of manager-dominated conversations or agendas overloaded with tasks. Rogelberg champions a bi-weekly meeting schedule, suggesting that the duration be between 25 to 50 minutes to balance oversight with autonomy, potentially reducing feelings of micromanagement among employees.
Both Agarwal and Rogelberg agree that too many one-on-one meetings can distract from productivity. Agarwal believes managers should focus on making themselves available to address concerns as they arise and conducting more strategic, quarterly discussions about career development. This, he suggests, could replace the frequent check-ins with meaningful interactions, reinforcing employee resilience and focusing on long-term professional growth rather than short-term challenges.