Introduction
In your career as a software engineer, you’re most likely already familiar with the one-on-one meeting with your manager. As an Engineering Manager, one of your core responsibilities is to meet individually with each of your direct reports for at least 30 minutes on a weekly basis. These meetings are imperative to support your team by ensuring each developer has the tools that they need to be successful. This can include fielding technical questions, reviewing code, or clearing blockers. This may also include discussions related to personal and professional development. In this article, I will dissect the developer one-on-one meeting and provide best practices to make your one-on-one meetings more productive and efficient.
Preparation
Although 1:1s tend to be more informal, these meetings should be as significant as any other meeting on your calendar. Below are some best practices to prepare for a 1:1 meeting:
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Be on time and avoid rescheduling this meeting. Your developer’s time is valuable and they may be counting on this meeting to bring urgent items to your attention.
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Create an agenda. Planned discussion points will help you better capitalize on the time you have allotted for the meeting. Also, check with your direct report for any items they want to discuss.
- You may not always have agenda items to cover, and that’s okay - but the meeting should still occur. Use this time to update on projects, identify any potential roadblocks, or check in with your direct report on how they’re doing professionally and personally.
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Gain a better understanding about your direct report’s life outside of work. Developing good relationships with your team will improve overall morale and show that you care for their personal wellbeing and progress, too.
Facilitating the Feedback Loop
The one-on-one is the most effective time to give and receive feedback with your direct report. Throughout the week, pay attention for positive feedback and opportunities for improvement from other members of the team and incorporate this feedback into the meeting. When discussing opportunities for improvement, always be sure to lead with positive intent and seek to understand your direct report’s point of view. This will help you gracefully deliver the feedback and be sure to follow up to ensure it was effective.
Giving feedback is equally as important as receiving it, too. Check in with your direct report on how you’re doing as a leader and ask if there’s any way you can better support them in their role. Internalize this feedback and hold yourself accountable for applying it in your day-to-day activities. This continuous feedback loop aids in implementing change when the need is first identified and prevents larger issues from developing.
Taking Notes
The one-on-one meeting is only as effective as the output that follows it - but we all have a full plate and it would be impossible for anyone to remember every detail of a meeting. To ensure accountability on both sides, it’s recommended to take notes during every one-on-one. Taking notes will make it easier to follow up on past conversations, update other stakeholders, and incorporate major takeaways into performance reviews. Feel free to incorporate my personal template into your notes:
To Discuss:
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Action Items:
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Feedback:
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2.
Let the Engineer Lead
Although you may have several important topics to discuss, ensure that the one-on-one is a two-way discussion, rather than a one-way lecture. As mentioned above, check in with your direct report ahead of time to see what points they may have to discuss and plan accordingly. The purpose of this meeting is to support the engineer in their workload and career - give them the stage to ask for the help they need.
Following Up
Finally, the one-on-ones you have each week should be a continuation of the previous meeting. Utilize the notes you’ve taken to circle back to previous discussions. Check in on blockers and feedback to ensure that they have been resolved or implemented accordingly. This allows you to hold your direct report accountable and prevent action items from falling into the void.
Conclusion
Effective one-on-one meetings are one of the foundations of building a positive working experience for engineers on your team. Integrating these principles into the meeting structure you can increase its efficacy, thereby bolstering support for your team members in their role as a developer and their overall career development. This, in turn, ultimately leads to higher output and productivity.