Maximizing the Impact of One-on-Ones: Avoiding the Trap of Empty Praise

You're doing great! Just keep doing what you're doing.

Positive feedback at a glance, but actually problematic

I'm a great fan of one-on-ones.

I first came across the concept when I started working at Microsoft, after several years at Samsung Electronics. I had weekly one-on-ones with my manager, monthly ones with my skip-level manager, and even quarterly ones with my General Manager. Since then, I have been conducting one-on-ones with my teams, including my current team at Jigo AI. Over the last 12 years of my career, I’ve seen so many benefits from well-structured one-on-ones that I intend to continue them.

Side note : I'm intrigued by Jansen Huang comment of "I don't do one-on-ones with any of them[direct reports]". I think there is truth and wisdom to what he says about it, but I don't know how I would go about implementing them.

There is much to be said about best practices and ways to make one-on-ones as effective as possible. However, there is one type of feedback that, though seemingly positive, is actually problematic.

The feedback is a variation of:

You're doing great! Just keep doing what you're doing.

On the surface, this comment sounds harmless. In fact, it sounds pretty good—"I must be doing such a great job!" It probably makes you feel good about yourself.

But there are three possible reasons this feedback might have been given, and none of them are good.

The first possible reason is that you have peaked. Your current performance is your max, and there is nothing you can do differently to improve. The idea of having reached your full potential is extremely depressing and very unlikely to be true.

The second possible reason is that the person providing the feedback is not capable of identifying your flaws or at least recognizing the gaps between your output and what could be. This suggests that your manager is incompetent in the area in which they should be coaching you. Why work for a manager who is incompetent?

The third possible reason is that the person providing the feedback does not care. They did not take the time or effort to evaluate your work and provide meaningful feedback. Why work for a manager who does not care about your growth?

I view one-on-ones as an opportunity to obtain valuable feedback and coaching, which is invaluable for growth. (And feedback should flow both ways, by the way.) It’s similar to a tennis or golf lesson from a pro. You are there to learn and improve, errors should be pointed out, and lessons on how to fix them should be given. Would it make sense to take lessons where the pro just says, “You’re doing great. Just keep doing what you’re doing!”?

I personally have removed this phrase from my one-on-one vocabulary and if I don't have anything constructive to say I just say "I'm sorry that I don't have specific feedback".

Conclusion

One-on-ones are a powerful tool for professional growth when conducted effectively. They should be more than just routine check-ins; they should offer meaningful, constructive feedback that drives improvement and development. Avoiding empty praise and focusing on actionable insights can help both managers and employees reach their full potential. By embracing the true purpose of one-on-ones, we can foster a culture of continuous growth and mutual respect, ultimately leading to a more engaged and high-performing team.