[glumreaper]

So many people missing the point of 1:1s. They help to build a trust relationship between two people so that when there is something difficult to discuss, that conversation can happen. It is perfectly ok for most 1:1s to be fairly empty, if only so that once a quarter/year/whenever, you can have the promotion discussion/hopes-and-dreams chat/you're not meeting expectations wake-up call.

This isn't an "American" thing, that's a very inaccurate generalisation. Maybe more correct to say that 1:1s are useful in cultures where trust needs to be built before saying difficult things. Sure, people from some cultures can just bluntly say difficult things. That's fine. Many people cannot.