The best one stayed in the room after and took notes, so it always seemed like he had a god-like big picture view. But I can't recall what else made it good, and what we covered.
That made for very clear and easy progress at each 1:1.
Otherwise, we'd always try to get out of the office for it. They'd buy me a coffee or similar. It was nice to change the setting, put me at ease, talk out of earshot, candidly, and feel valued.
I use all of that now myself with anyone I'm managing.
How about actual information exchange; and if there's nothing new to update each other on, getting that established as efficiently as possible.
"I know you need to keep up with what im up to, Boss; im still heads down into the bowels of project X which i have been for 3 weeks and crawling out to give a progress report will string entrails across the workroom so don't make me do that, k?"