What If 30 Minutes a Week Could Save You Hours?

As your team grows, the pressure on your time quietly multiplies.

You go from five to ten reports and suddenly those weekly 1:1s feel... unsustainable.
You start asking:
“Do I really need to meet with everyone every week?”

So you compromise:
→ Switch to biweekly
→ Only meet when someone requests it
→ Turn 1:1s into status updates

It feels like you’re saving time.
But you’re not.
You’re trading connection for convenience, and it’s costing you more than you think.

Status updates don’t build trust. Conversations do.

Mark Horstman, author of The Effective Manager, has coached thousands of leaders. His advice is clear:

“There is no more powerful way to build trust than by sitting down and talking with your team members every week.”

Not once a month.
Not every other week.
Every single week.

And no—it’s not a project review.
You don’t need a Zoom call to read a spreadsheet.

This is about human connection.

Done right, a weekly 1:1 becomes your most powerful tool to:

• Build real trust

• Spot and solve problems early

• Avoid surprise escalations

• Reduce Slack chaos and last-minute fire drills

• Create clarity for them, and calm for you

It’s counterintuitive, but it works.

30 minutes a week per person = hours saved later.

Let’s do the math.

Say you have 8 direct reports. That’s 4 hours per week.

Now ask yourself:
– How much time do you spend untangling miscommunications?
– How often are you pulled into things that shouldn’t need your attention?
– How many projects veer slightly off course without anyone noticing?

This isn’t about being perfect.
It’s about being consistent.

One conversation a week keeps your team:

-Aligned
-Supported
-Clear on what matters

And when people feel that?

They show up with ownership.

If your 1:1s have slipped, here’s your reset:

🔁 Recommit to weekly check-ins
Spend 10–15 minutes on their world (career, goals, mindset)
Spend 10–15 minutes on your shared work
💬 Ask open-ended questions like:
 • What’s been on your mind lately?
 • Where do you need more clarity or support?
 • Is there anything I’m doing that’s making things harder for you?

Keep it simple. Keep it human. Keep it weekly.

Your team doesn’t need a superhero.
They need a manager who shows up.

See you next week,
—Jeff