One-on-One Meeting as Software Engineer (Mentee): Proactive!
One-on-One Meeting as Software Engineer (Mentee): Proactive!
One-on-one meeting is not just for the leader, You can also derive many benefits from it such as for career growth and solve problems. The important point is you need to be proactive.
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Intro
Last week, I wrote about one-on-one meetings for managers and tech leaders, focusing on how to effectively lead these meetings. You can check the link below to gain insights from tech leaders who have utilized this meeting format.
Today's discussion is a continuation of the previous topics, but this time, we will focus on the other party involved: the Software Engineer (or mentee). The topic for today is how to maximize the one-on-one meetings with your manager to ensure that you gain numerous benefits from them.
Let's get started!
Utilize One-on-One Meeting
One misconception about one-on-one meetings is that many people, especially junior or new software engineers, think of it as a place for the leaders to simply give directions (one-way communication).
However, it is more than that. There are many benefits for software engineers if they can utilize these meetings effectively. What are they?
Utilize It for Career Growth
Yes, one-on-one meetings are a great opportunity to define your career goals and foster career growth. If your manager or leaders have not brought up this topic, you should ask them to discuss it. To utilize it, you need to ensure at least these three things below:
You have to talk about the clear requirements for you to reach the next career level.
Ensure that the list is measurable.
Review the progress toward these goals during each one-on-one meeting.
By following these three steps, you can proactively track your performance and development. Additionally, this approach enables your leaders to make objective judgments when considering your eligibility for promotion.
Utilize it for Solving Problems
Common problems that often happen in the workplace are misalignment, misexpectation and miscommunication. In short it is a gap.
With one-on-one meetings, you can solve these problems by:
Setting clear expectations.
Engaging in open communication to address the issues.
Creating an action plan to resolve the problems.
Remember that you are allowed to have expectations from your leaders, and it is crucial to communicate them. Your leader, at least your direct reportee, should be aware of your expectations. This approach can help bridge gaps and solve many issues.
Utilize it to Build Trust
A one-on-one meeting is a valuable opportunity to get to know each other better and build trust. It provides a platform for analyzing the behavior of your leaders, understanding their preferences, and identifying what they consider important.
As your leader is the decision maker, knowing and being able to influence them can significantly improve your work life, making it much easier to navigate.
You Need to Become Proactive
I often encounter average software engineers who grumble a lot about things they don't like, such as decisions, culture, or even their teammates. However, it's essential to understand that your career and happiness in the company are your responsibility, not your leader's alone. Therefore, taking ownership of the one-on-one meeting is also your responsibility.
If you have a good leader who genuinely cares about their subordinates and conducts effective one-on-one meetings, consider yourself lucky. However, in reality, you may encounter leaders with different approaches to connecting with their co-workers.
This validates the need for you to become proactive. Don't wait for your leader to spoon-feed you. In the context of one-on-one meetings, it means:
It's okay for you to initiate the one-on-one meeting.
You should proactively bring up relevant topics in the meeting.
You should be the one who writes up and cares about the results of the meeting, including the action plan.
TL;DR
In summary, a one-on-one meeting is not just for your leader; you can also derive many benefits from it if you utilize it effectively. You can contribute to your career growth, solve problems, and build trust between co-workers through these meetings. Additionally, you need to be proactive instead of waiting for your leader to spoon-feed you. It means you should feel comfortable initiating the meeting, expressing your expectations to your leader, directing the topics of discussion, and more. Take charge of these meetings to make the most of them for your personal and professional development.
That’s it for today, thank you for reading! If you find it valuable, don’t forget to: