Join The CTO Playbook Slack Community to connect with other CTOs!
In this episode, you'll learn how to structure effective one-on-one meetings with engineers, how to maintain alignment between individual performance and company goals, how to use a rolling agenda for tracking progress, and how to transition from weekly check-ins to quarterly and annual reviews seamlessly.
Timestamps:
[00:00] Introduction
[00:38] Importance of one-on-one meetings for engineers
[01:22] How often should you meet with individual contributors
[02:14] Weekly vs. biweekly or monthly meetings
[03:06] Why weekly meetings maintain momentum
[04:02] When to adjust meeting frequency
[04:48] Balancing meeting length and effectiveness
[05:32] What to cover in one-on-one meetings
[06:20] The role of trust and rapport in leadership
[07:05] How to start meetings with open-ended questions
[07:52] Why listening is a key leadership skill
[08:36] Avoiding status updates in one-on-ones
[09:20] Helping engineers improve communication skills
[10:02] Teaching engineers how to listen effectively
[10:48] Steering conversations toward personal growth
[11:36] How to shift focus from output to experience
[12:24] Using silence to encourage deeper responses
[13:10] The importance of writing things down
[14:00] How to structure a rolling agenda document
[14:46] Benefits of an open agenda for tracking topics
[15:30] Using action items to track progress
[16:14] How a personal development plan fits in
[17:02] Why mission statements help guide career growth
[17:48] Real examples of how writing things down improves performance
[19:20] Using notes to build confidence in employees
[20:10] Preparing for performance improvement plans
[20:58] How to guide conversations in one-on-ones
[21:42] Understanding different learning styles
[22:28] The VARK model: visual, auditory, read/write, kinesthetic
[23:12] Adapting coaching based on learning style
[24:02] Asking the right questions for better engagement
[24:50] How different learning styles impact communication
[25:36] Structuring quarterly reviews for performance tracking
[26:22] How to align quarterly reviews with company goals
[27:10] The four key sections of a quarterly review
[27:56] Why quarterly reviews remove surprises in evaluations
[28:44] Rolling up quarterly insights into annual reviews
[29:30] Making promotions and salary adjustments smoother
[30:18] Five key takeaways for leading individual contributors
Find more from Adam on LinkedIn and YouTube and check out Adam's CTO coaching company Synova Tech.
The CTO Playbook