54: CTO Secrets to Scaling Fast: Lessons from COVID, Culture & Code with Peter Wong

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Are you managing individual contributors the best way possible?



In this episode, I sit down with Peter Wong, a seasoned CTO, to discuss how to lead individual contributors effectively with a structured and personalized approach. You’ll hear how weekly one-on-one meetings, a simple but powerful rolling agenda, and understanding how each person learns can take performance management from stressful to seamless.

We dive into how this method helps you align your team with company goals, nurture personal growth, and create trust—ensuring the continuous development of your engineering team, one conversation at a time. This approach ensures clarity and consistency, allowing your team to thrive.

You’ll Learn:

• Why weekly one-on-one meetings are more powerful than lengthier sessions
• The real reason a rolling agenda can transform your leadership approach
• How to foster trust and build rapport by simply listening more than speaking
• What happens when you tailor your questions to how each person learns
• The surprising link between performance management and building personal connections
• Why writing things down in meetings isn’t just a formality—it’s a trust-builder
• The quiet damage of skipping regular check-ins with your team
• What it feels like to have an annual review with zero surprises
• The key to making performance feedback feel like a natural progression
• How to use small actions like weekly meetings to drive big results over time

Timestamps:

[00:00] Introduction

[05:25] How to build trust through active listening in one-on-ones

[06:45] Tailoring questions to different learning styles for better coaching

[08:05] The value of writing things down in meetings

[09:20] Structuring one-on-one meetings for maximum impact

[11:15] Keeping feedback focused on personal growth

[12:40] The power of regular check-ins for performance momentum

[14:05] Linking weekly meetings to quarterly and annual reviews

[15:35] Using the VARK model to understand how your team learns

[17:10] Handling performance improvement plans effectively

[21:00] Simplifying annual reviews with structured feedback

[22:45] Making performance reviews a natural progression

[28:05] The role of a structured approach in leadership

[30:10] Why a rolling agenda document is a game-changer

You can connect with Peter and learn more about his work through his LinkedIn and website.

Find more from Adam on LinkedIn and YouTube, and check out Adam's CTO coaching company Synova Tech.