[watwut]

> This is so that the manager doesn't lose face in front of his subordinates.

Not really, at least in my experience. Arguing against managers in Europe is common, sometimes I feel like more common then Americans expect. Americans tend to expect sort of submission - they interpret disagreement with boss as rudeness. "You can not say no to manager" is something Americans believe in and then they are shocked to come into meeting with Eastern European who just say "no" and acts as if it was normal.

The one on ones are to large extend about forming opinions, testing both ideas and arguments in safe situations, rethinking everything again. You can say something wrong in them and then figure it out next day and change opinion.

Instead of having one high stakes meeting where what you said is set in stone, you have to react instantly in well phrased arguments and don't have that time to think about others arguments.