First before getting into this too deeply, I have not had a manager who ever really cared for 1-on-1 conversations whether it is required by the company or not.
For the first decade of my career, I didn't care much for 1-on-1. I always thought it was a waste of time. Shouldn't my manager know what I am working on? Some may ask why should they know. The reason at that time was because they are the ones assigning my work and I report to them when it is done. Now, I know a little better because I have a lot of flexibility in my work and my manager does not know the specifics (if I did not tell them). Later in that same decade, managers never said anything meaningful in the meeting. They didn't care for what I said. Thus, I dreaded them because it was such a waste of my time. This was also the time period I was putting in 60-80 hours weekly with occasional 80+ hours.
In the middle, there was some transitioning on my mental outlook on work and career.
For the last decade, I have cared more about my 1-on-1 for several different reasons:
1. To learn what my manager does.
2. To learn what his manager does or looks for from him.
3. To know I am on track.
4. To see what other opportunities are out there.
5. Delegate work that is more than I can handle or at least start giving notifications that my workload is reaching its limit
I think the manager should care on what I do, but I do not get the feeling that I do. I feel that most managers find that I am a great employee and I do not need to be managed, so they spend their efforts and energy on the more problematic employees. And by problematic, I just mean those who just needs more hand-holding... not necessarily that they are a negative affect on the company. I have learned there are a lot of them.
I do not understand that part. Why spend time on those who not only take up energy but also have shown no evidence of growing?
Is it because I do not show enough ambition? I do admit that I am kind of wishy-washy on my future, but I feel that I am pretty clear that I do want more impact. Why am I wishy-washy? Because I just do not want to limit my possibilities with what I think because I believe my views are more narrow than my manager.. because they are higher than me and have more experience. And this may potentially be my current downfall. I do make it clear that I do want more impact which I hope translates to some sort of promotion. But I am fine if he just puts me in an area that I have more control over future products or people that I can personally manage.
In all companies especially the larger ones, they all require 1-on-1 meetings because it improves engagement. High engagement keeps people. But everyone that I have asked about their experience with those meetings, all think it is a waste of their time. Everyone that I ask are not managers, so I am missing a huge side of this.
Perhaps in my next call, I should ask if my managers find any use to the 1-on-1 meetings.
Of course everywhere when busy season rolls around, these meetings keep getting canceled or rescheduled. This is nothing new.
But I feel when my manager says that he needs to cancel then asks if it needs to be rescheduled... I get the feeling that he does not understand the value of these calls. I know he thinks that he is giving me time because I have lately been telling him that I do not have time to finish all my work. But these 30 minutes calls are such a minute part of my week. I think he should find a way to make those 30 minutes valuable so that it is worth my time... unless it is to maybe use that 30 minutes to talk to his manager to get what I need.
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