Level-up Engineering

One-on-One Meeting Guide: James Stanier (SVP of Engineering, Brandwatch)

Aug 19, 2020

James Stanier, SVP of Engineering at Brandwatch, shares tips on effective one-on-one meetings for engineering managers, including handling challenging personalities, preparing for meetings, giving critical feedback, and common mistakes to avoid. He emphasizes the importance of listening to frustrated team members and turning negativity into constructive energy.

42:46

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Episode guests

James Stanier

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Quick takeaways

One-on-one meetings build trust and relationships through open communication and understanding.

Weekly one-on-ones with preparation promote consistent support and focused discussions for team members.

Deep dives

Importance of One-on-One Meetings

One-on-one meetings are emphasized as crucial for building strong relationships and trust between managers and team members. These meetings provide a dedicated space to discuss various topics, from career development to work challenges, fostering open communication and mutual understanding.

Introduction

5min

Effective Preparation and Variety in One-on-One Meetings as a Manager

2min

Efficient One-on-One Meetings with Shared Google Docs

2min

Constructive Feedback and Relationship Building in One-on-One Meetings

9min

Creating a Trusting Environment for One-on-One Meetings

6min

Effective Communication in One-on-One Meetings

18min

Exploring the Guest's Work and Book Publication

2min

Avoid the rookie mistakes engineering managers and engineering leaders make at running one-on-one meetings. James Stanier, SVP of Engineering at Brandwatch, and author of "Become an Effective Software Engineering Manager" will teach you how to handle one-on-ones with both introverts, and people who complain all the time, along with many more tips and tricks.

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In this interview we're covering:

The goal of a one on one meeting
The ideal frequency of one on one meetings
One on one preparation tips for engineering managers
Handling challenging personalities
Documenting your one on ones
Critical feedback at one on ones
Common mistakes of engineering managers
Walking versus sitting one on ones
One on one meeting with a new team member
One on one meetings questions and topics
Doing one on ones with individual contributors vs managers
Preparing engineering managers to run one on ones
How direct reports should prepare for one on ones

Excerpt from the interview:

"Remember; venting to your manager is fine. Sometimes people get frustrated and need to blow off steam in a private setting. You should support this.

If it becomes a recurring thing though, it's your duty as a manager to turn this into constructive energy. In this situation, you rarely have anything to say; you're just listening to a frustrated person. Sometimes you try to turn the conversation in a positive direction, but they just vent more, and you end up getting frustrated yourself.

I’ve dealt with employees who were venting all the time. I’m a good listener, but it can backfire when I run into these people. The first time I had a team member doing this early in my management career, I had no idea what to do.

Many weeks went by until I finally said..."

Click here to read the full interview!