Posts Tagged - feedback

Your first 1-to-1 meeting with each team member is a foundational event in your tenure as an engineering manager. It sets the tone for your relationship and is your opportunity to begin building trust, understanding, and alignment. However, this initial meeting can feel somewhat daunting. How do you structure it to ensure it’s effective and beneficial?

This article explores how to structure your first 1-to-1 meeting as an engineering manager.

Understanding the Purpose of a 1-to-1

The 1-to-1 meeting is a dedicated time for the manager and the employee to have a private, focused conversation. It serves multiple purposes, such as:

• Building a personal relationship
• Discussing progress, challenges, and support
• Providing and seeking feedback
• Exploring professional development opportunities
• Aligning on goals and expectations

The first 1-to-1 meeting with each team member is particularly important as it lays the foundation for these ongoing discussions and your working relationship.

Structuring Your First 1-to-1 Meeting

While there is no one-size-fits-all structure for a 1-to-1 meeting, here are some steps you can take to structure your first meeting effectively:

1. Set Clear Objectives

Start by identifying what you want to achieve in the meeting. This could include getting to know the team member, understanding their role and contributions, discussing their aspirations and concerns, and establishing a communication channel.

2. Allocate Enough Time

Your first 1-to-1 meeting may take longer than subsequent ones because there’s more ground to cover. Allocate enough time to have a meaningful conversation without rushing - typically, one hour should suffice.

3. Prepare Ahead

Prepare for the meeting by reviewing the team member’s role, responsibilities, performance, and any previous feedback or issues. Also prepare a list of topics or questions to discuss, focusing on understanding and building a relationship, rather than just tasks and performance.

4. Start With a Personal Connection

Begin the meeting by building rapport. You could talk briefly about your background and management approach, and express your enthusiasm and expectations for your relationship. Also, encourage them to share about themselves - their interests, experiences, and motivations.

5. Seek Understanding

Spend a substantial part of the meeting seeking to understand the team member. Ask open-ended questions about their role, accomplishments, challenges, support needs, aspirations, and feedback. Listen attentively and empathetically, and show appreciation for their insights and candor.

6. Share Your Perspective and Expectations

While it’s important to focus on the team member, also share your perspective and expectations as a manager. This could include your objectives, your management style, your expectations for communication and performance, and how you intend to support their success.

7. Discuss Next Steps

End the meeting by discussing the next steps. This could include actions to address any issues or requests, scheduling the next 1-to-1 meeting, or setting goals or priorities for the coming period. Also, reassure them that they can always reach out to you with any concerns, ideas, or requests.

8. Follow Up

After the meeting, follow up promptly on any actions or commitments. This shows that you take the 1-to-1 meeting seriously and that you respect their input and needs.

A Sample Agenda for Your First 1-to-1 Meeting

Here’s a sample agenda to help you structure your first 1-to-1 meeting as an engineering manager:

• Introduction (5 minutes)
• Personal sharing (10 minutes)
• Discussion about their role, achievements, and challenges (15 minutes)
• Discussion about their aspirations, concerns, and feedback (15 minutes)
• Sharing your perspective and expectations (10 minutes)
• Discussion about next steps and closing (5 minutes)

Tips for Effective 1-to-1 Meetings

• Be present - Focus fully on the team member and the conversation, without distractions or multi-tasking.
• Be flexible - Adapt the structure and style of the meeting to suit the team member’s needs and preferences.
• Be respectful - Show respect for the team member’s ideas, emotions, and efforts, and honor their time and confidentiality.
• Be open - Encourage open, candid communication, and be open to feedback and learning yourself.

Conclusion

Your first 1-to-1 meeting as an engineering manager is a crucial step towards building a strong, productive relationship with your team members. By structuring the meeting effectively, you can create a positive, beneficial experience that lays the groundwork for ongoing communication, trust, and alignment.

Remember, a 1-to-1 meeting is not just a managerial task, but an opportunity to connect with your team members, appreciate their contributions, and support their success. So, approach these meetings with curiosity, empathy, and dedication, and make the most of the opportunity to influence your team’s performance, satisfaction, and growth.

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Feedback is a fundamental part of management, especially in the field of engineering where precision, continual learning, and improvement are crucial. It is a powerful tool for guiding your team’s performance, fostering professional development, and building strong relationships. However, giving feedback effectively can be a challenging skill to master.

This article explores the best practices for giving effective feedback in engineering management.

Understanding Feedback

Feedback refers to the information that you provide to your team members about their performance, behavior, or outcomes. It can be positive (reinforcing good performance) or constructive (guiding improvements). Feedback is not just about pointing out what’s wrong or right, but about opening a dialogue to promote understanding, learning, and growth.

As an engineering manager, your role in giving feedback is to guide your team towards achieving their goals and the organization’s objectives, support their professional development, and foster a positive and productive work environment.

Best Practices for Giving Effective Feedback

• Be Specific and Clear - Effective feedback is specific and clear, focusing on observable actions or outcomes rather than vague attributes. Instead of saying, “You did a good job,” say, “The way you debugged that complex code issue was impressive. Your systematic approach helped us meet the project deadline.” Specific feedback helps the recipient understand exactly what they did well or need to improve.

• Be Timely - Feedback is most effective when it is given promptly after the action or outcome. This ensures that the details are fresh in everyone’s mind and allows for immediate learning or reinforcement. However, also consider the recipient’s readiness to receive feedback and the appropriateness of the timing and setting.

• Focus on the Action, Not the Person - When giving feedback, focus on the action or outcome, not the person. This helps to separate the issue from the individual and prevents the feedback from being perceived as a personal attack. For example, instead of saying, “You are careless,” say, “I noticed there were several errors in the report. Let’s discuss how we can avoid these mistakes in the future.”

• Use “I” Statements - Using “I” statements, such as “I noticed,” “I feel,” or “I suggest,” can help to make your feedback more objective and less accusatory. It expresses your perspective rather than blaming or making assumptions about the other person.

• Make it a Two-Way Conversation - Feedback should be a two-way conversation, not a one-way lecture. Encourage the recipient to share their perspective, ask questions, and suggest solutions. This promotes understanding, buy-in, and collaboration.

• Be Constructive and Forward-Looking - Constructive feedback focuses on improvement and future performance, rather than dwelling on past mistakes. It identifies what can be done differently or better next time and provides guidance or resources to support improvement.

• Balance Positive and Constructive Feedback - While constructive feedback is important for learning and improvement, positive feedback is equally important for reinforcing good performance and boosting motivation and confidence. Strive for a balanced mix of positive and constructive feedback.

• Consider the Recipient’s Perspective - Effective feedback is sensitive to the recipient’s perspective, needs, and emotions. Consider their personality, their understanding of the issue, their readiness to receive feedback, and how they might perceive and react to your feedback. Tailor your feedback approach to suit the recipient.

• Be Genuine and Respectful - Feedback should be genuine, honest, and respectful. Avoid flattery or criticism that is not sincere or warranted. Show respect for the recipient’s feelings, ideas, and efforts, even when you are discussing areas for improvement.

• Follow Up - Feedback doesn’t end with the conversation. It’s important to follow up to ensure that the feedback has been understood and acted upon. This could involve discussing a plan for improvement, providing resources or support, reviewing progress, or acknowledging improvements.

Scenarios and Strategies in Engineering Management

Let’s consider a few scenarios related to giving feedback in engineering management and strategies to handle them effectively.

Scenario 1: Poor Performance

Suppose an engineer on your team, Alice, is consistently failing to meet her deadlines, causing delays in the project.

Strategy

Have a private conversation with Alice about her performance. Be specific and objective about the issue (“I’ve noticed that the last three tasks have been submitted past the deadline”), and express your concern about its impact on the project. Encourage Alice to share her perspective and challenges. Discuss a plan for improvement and offer your support. Follow up regularly to review progress.

Scenario 2: Outstanding Performance

Imagine a situation where a junior engineer, Bob, has demonstrated an exceptional performance by solving a complex problem that even senior engineers were struggling with.

Strategy

Acknowledge Bob’s achievement promptly and publicly. Be specific about what he did well (“Your solution to the complex problem was impressive and helped us move forward in the project”). Express your appreciation and confidence in his abilities. This positive feedback will boost Bob’s motivation and confidence and set a positive example for the team.

Scenario 3: Unprofessional Behavior

Consider a situation where a team member, Carol, frequently interrupts others during meetings, making some team members feel disrespected and unheard.

Strategy

Address the issue privately with Carol. Focus on the behavior, not the person (“I’ve noticed that during meetings, there are times when others are interrupted”). Explain its impact on the team. Ask Carol for her perspective and discuss how meetings can be more respectful and inclusive. Follow up to ensure the behavior changes.

Conclusion

Giving effective feedback is a critical skill in engineering management. It involves being specific, timely, action-focused, constructive, balanced, considerate, genuine, and respectful. It’s about engaging in a two-way conversation to promote understanding, learning, and growth, and following up to ensure feedback is acted upon.

By implementing the best practices discussed in this article, you can give feedback effectively, guiding your team’s performance, supporting their professional development, and fostering a positive and productive work environment.

Remember, feedback is not just about correcting mistakes or enforcing standards. It’s about showing your team that you care about their success, growth, and well-being. So, approach feedback with empathy, openness, and dedication, and make a positive difference in your team’s performance, development, and morale.

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