One-on-One Guidelines for Manager / Tech Leader
One-on-One Guidelines for Manager / Tech Leader
One-on-one meetings are an effective routine that yields positive results. Learn valuable guidelines on what to discuss in one-on-one meetings as a manager or tech leader, and discover what constitute
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Intro
I am often asked by many tech leaders about their routine in their company, and all of them always mention doing one-on-one meetings.
Currently, conducting one-on-one meetings is a proven practice that is a must for tech leaders. However, I have also heard that many people, especially new managers or leaders, find it hard to engage in one-on-one meetings. Most of them don't know what to do during these meetings.
Therefore, in today's discussion, we will delve into the topic of one-on-one meetings from the perspective of a manager or mentor. We will talk about the importance of conducting one-on-one meetings, what to ask, and what a good one-on-one meeting should look like.
Before we explore what to do in a one-on-one meeting, it is essential to understand what a one-on-one meeting is and why it's important.
Why are One-on-One Important for Managers & Tech Leaders?
For those of you who have never heard of a one-on-one meeting, basically it is a routine where a manager/leader/mentor meets with an employee to discuss various work-related matters. Typically, these discussions revolve around topics such as career development, goals, projects, and issues.
One-on-one meetings have been proven to have positive impacts, such as improving employee engagement. Employee engagement is closely linked to employee performance.
Managers who regularly meet with their employees almost tripled that level of engagement. Source
Basically, I have categorized the purposes (for managers/leaders) of conducting one-on-one meetings into two:
Solving problems
Have you ever heard the phrase, "Most of your problems can be solved by talking"? Incorporating one-on-one meetings as a regular practice definitely helps reduce misunderstandings and assumptions that often lead to employee-company problemsDecision-making
By regularly having these meetings, mutual understanding can be fostered, which ultimately proves useful in making decisions.
For example, I have a friend who is a tech leader and didn't face difficulties when deciding back to WFO because he knew who supported and opposed the idea. He also have a strategy how to handle the opposing viewpoints
Engaging in one-on-one meetings offers numerous advantages compared to disadvantages. So, why not give it a try?
What Should be Discussed during a One-on-One Meeting as Manager / Tech Leader?
Now that we understand the importance of conducting one-on-one meetings, it's important to address the issue that many people, especially new managers/leaders, don't know what to do during these meetings. This can result in unproductive meetings with no clear purpose.
In this section, we will delve into what should be discussed during a one-on-one meeting.
Organization & Company Awareness
Organization here can refer to a team, division, or even a company. Organization awareness is crucial as it pertains to an individual's understanding and knowledge of an organization's purpose, goals, values, structure, culture, and operations.
Often, when decisions are made within an organization, there is a risk of being misunderstood by its members. By initiating discussions about organization and company awareness, it helps enhance the employee's sense of belonging.
Here are some actions and questions you can use during a one-on-one meeting:
Company & Team Updates:
"I would like to provide you with an update on the company."
"Recently, our company made a decision to transition back to working from the office (WFO). You may have opposing views, but let me explain the thought process behind this decision."
Management, Team, and Company Culture:
"On a scale of 1 to 10, what is your approval rating for our management and CEO?"
"Is there anyone in the team you would like to express gratitude to?"
"How would you describe your relationships with your co-workers? Are there any issues or areas for improvement?"
"How do you feel about our company culture?"
"What aspects of our team culture did you like the most and the least?"
Organization Purpose, Direction, and Future Projects:
"Do you have a clear understanding of our company's purpose?"
"Do you have any ideas regarding features, products, or projects that we should prioritize?"
"What opportunities do you think we might have missed?"
"This semester, our focus will be on achieving specific Key Performance Indicators (KPIs). Here's the big picture behind why we are pursuing these objectives and why they are important."
"What do you like about our products?"
Goals & Expectation
Another important topic to discuss is goals and expectations.
Not always, but most employees might want to talk about their careers and how they can achieve their career goals. Therefore, career goals are also part of this kind of discussion.
Here are some actions and questions you can use:
Goal Setting:
"Where do you see yourself in the company in the next 5 years?"
"What are your plans for next week?"
"Do you have any career goals? How long do you intend to achieve them?"
"Does working in this company help you achieve your goals?"
“What skills you want to improve?”
Aligning Expectations and Requesting Feedback:
"How clear do you feel about what is expected of you?"
"Let's establish a mutual agreement on what we should and shouldn't do."
"What are your red flags? For me, a red flag is failing to communicate effectively. What about you?"
"Let's discuss how we can resolve conflicts. Do you prefer a direct or indirect approach?"
"What do you think I need to improve?"
"If you were in my position, what are 1-2 things you would change?"
Career and Growth Plan:
"What can I do to help you grow?"
"In the last 3 months, I have seen improvement in your skills. Keep up the consistency."
"You were mentioned on Slack, but you haven't replied. This is unacceptable, how can we fix this?"
"If you want to get promoted in the next performance review, here are the things you need to demonstrate!"
"Who in the company would you be excited to learn more from?"
"What parts of the business would you like to be more involved in?"
Milestone & Celebrate Success
"Congratulations! The last project you were involved in achieved the predicted KPIs."
"Thank you for delivering the project on time."
Setup Routine
What contributes to the success of employee goals is having a routine or system in place. It becomes easier when you have specific actions, such as "reviewing at least 10 pull requests per week" or "speaking up in meetings at least twice a week," and so on.
Here are some actions and questions you can use:
Identifying Opportunities:
"Are there any recurring ad hoc tasks that we should address?"
"I noticed that the operations team frequently needs help finding bugs. Perhaps you can dedicate one hour in the morning to assist them."
"We agreed that misunderstandings of requirements have been causing delays. How about making it a routine to re-explain the requirements during brainstorming sessions?"
"Do you have any ideas on what problems can be solved by creating a routine or procedure?"
Reviewing the Routine:
"Are we comfortable having this one-on-one meeting every week, or would you prefer it to be biweekly?"
"Do you feel that you attend too many meetings?"
Health Check
One-on-one meetings can be used to "health check" employee happiness and engagement, as happy employees tend to yield better results.
Employee Happiness
"Are you generally happy working in this company?"
"Which part of your work is the most enjoyable?"
"What aspects of working here are not enjoyable for you?"
"What are the biggest time-wasters for you each week?"
"Which projects or tasks bring you happiness?"
Personal
"How is life outside of work?"
"What did you do last weekend?"
"How are your family/children doing?"
"I noticed a decline in your performance recently. Is there any personal or family issue that may be affecting you?"
"What’s your hobby? do you play game?"
How Does a Good One-on-One Meeting Look Like?
There are several parameters that identify a good one-on-one meeting:
Clear agendas: Before the one-on-one meeting, both parties should understand the topics to be discussed and come prepared. In the previous section, we discussed what to do in a one-on-one meeting, and you can use one or some of those topics as the agenda.
Two-way discussion: A good one-on-one meeting should facilitate a two-way discussion where both parties get to know each other better and work together to solve problems, rather than it being a one-sided lecture.
Action plan: The best outcome of a one-on-one meeting is the establishment of an agreed-upon action plan. This plan can involve both the manager/leader and the employee who participated in the one-on-one.
Positive results: A good one-on-one meeting often leads to a more motivated employee, clarifies any areas of uncertainty, and helps the employee improve in some way.
TL;DR
A one-on-one meeting is a crucial routine that should be held by managers and tech leaders. It serves as a means to solve problems, build relationships, and enhance employee engagement. If you are unsure about what to do in a one-on-one meeting, focus on the following topics: organization and company awareness, goals and expectations, setting up routines, and employee happiness.
A good one-on-one meeting typically involves clear agendas, facilitating a two-way discussion between both parties, and yielding positive outcomes such as increased employee motivation and the establishment of clear action plans.
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