I'm also on side with regular one to ones. Especially as working can now be more remote, I think they are a useful touchpoint to help continue that relationship with the manager. The important thing, like all meetings, is to make sure that you're getting the value out of it. If you don't have anything to say & neither does your manager, then skip that week's meeting. But having that constant slot & occasionally using it for just a chat occasionally can help a lot.
Ask HN: What's your opinion on weekly 1:1s?
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Re: Ask HN: What's your opinion on weekly 1:1s?
#22I like them. We work all-remote, so sometimes can go an entire week without speaking directly to my manager.
It works as a nice check-in to make sure we're both aligned on what needs doing and what I'm actually working on.
Re: Ask HN: What's your opinion on weekly 1:1s?
#23Author here. Thanks for all the great and different insights and experiences. Especially also about 'feeling being listened to'.
To be fair, I was a bit short in my description: I do have a great relationship with my manager and he is one of the best managers I ever had. Also, I am not a developer, but a product manager, so already used to steering the 'ship'. We are in a relatively small team of 6 and we are all sitting together (including manager).
Re: Ask HN: What's your opinion on weekly 1:1s?
#24Weekly 1:1 with your manager should provide benefits for you and for your manager.
Different people have different needs and the benefits such 1:1s provide may feel more or less useful.
For the employee, it’s a way to receive undivided attention from the manager. You can ask followup questions on an initiative that may not be right for a group call. The manager can share some context about what is happening that is more relevant to you than others. It’s a place to praise exceptional efforts or achievements. It’s a place to give constructive feedback or ask about things that are not going according to plan. They are great to make coordinate longer time off. For brainstorming an approach or validating a direction.
The manager should be listening attentively. It’s a way for them to get a qualitative feel for what is going on with each of their team members. They should see these 1:1s as a track of conversations instead of one-off chats. When done regularly, they can show a mood trajectory that is a signal for how projects and people are doing.
I can not imagine working with people without 1:1s. This goes both for my manager and for my team. Without the live in-person connection the relationship would only be based on mechanical processes, metrics, and written communications. All of these are important but without talking with people, they are too transactional and mechanical.
Re: Ask HN: What's your opinion on weekly 1:1s?
#25I’ve found them (historically) to be a massive waste of time for everyone involved tbh, as both manager and managed person.
I found when I managed people, lighter touch management got me better results.
As a person being managed, again lighter touch works better - I can focus more on delivering actual results/value than “having something to fill a meeting”.
I guess maybe it’s of value for juniors or people new to a place?
Re: Ask HN: What's your opinion on weekly 1:1s?
#26I feel like weekly 1:1s are a sign of broken systems and processes. Managers should make time for team members whenever they need it, and team members should be free to ask.
> Managers should make time for team members whenever they need it, and team members should be free to ask.
This would be ideal and if the managers only job is to manage a team, this has never been the case for me though. Management has always just been an added responsibility for me. Generally I'm doing the same work as the team + managing the team so I'm not just sat around waiting for someone to come to me with something they need help with.
Additionally, I have had rare cases where team members won't ask for help when they do need it, it's not easy for some people to admit they are struggling. If you just wait for them to come to you, it's often when they reach breaking point. In these cases a regular time slot to catch up is useful.
There really is no right or wrong, you can't manage everyone with a set template. Some people are independent and like to be left alone, some thrive off feedback loops, others enjoy the social aspect of a 1:1 and will spend it telling you about their weekend or just getting to know you better.
What works for me is setting the 1:1s and making it it clear they can be cancelled by the team member if they want.
Re: Ask HN: What's your opinion on weekly 1:1s?
#27My opinion: weekly 1:1 is a "must have". But you've got to do them right.
I didn't have them when I started my career, had them much later on both sides (as a direct report, and as a manager), so I guess I can do the comparison. From my experience this is the single most simple and efficient practice that you can put in place to: a) keep healthy relationship with your boss / your directs, b) always be up to date and on the same page, c) actually *save time* on your agenda and get distracted less.
The wonderful thing that happens when you start doing 1:1s: you always know that you will eventually and very soon have time to ask your questions, so you need fewer other meetings. And it is scheduled, so you get to plan your entire week! instead of being distracted by spontaneous meetings.
But as I mentioned, you've got to do them right. For the above to work, it has to be regular (weekly), scheduled, and mostly done on time. The manager must understand that this is not a reporting meeting. That is, if you have a 1:1 with your manager, you got to talk first and about anything that is important for you.
Re: Ask HN: What's your opinion on weekly 1:1s?
#28If you don't otherwise meet your manager regularly, it's great. Note that even if you schedule, say, an hour a week for the 1:1, in practice you will miss a lot of them due to conflicting meetings taking priority, and if there is not much to talk about you won't use the full hour. So despite that schedule, you'll end up with only having half an hour every two weeks. These regular meetings are great for keeping in touch, and catching things going wrong early. Of course, YMMV, it only works if you and your manager make good use of them.
Re: Ask HN: What's your opinion on weekly 1:1s?
#29Operational stuff should be talked about as a team (and 'teams' may be ad-hoc project teams), so everyone is on the same page. Otherwise you end up with a old fashioned top down org style where workers are being giving perhaps conflicting direction (even with a well meaning manager - much worse if there is any kind of nefariousnous going on). Particularly annoying if you have cross-functional responsibilities and have to figure out and if necessary countermand what someone's manager has instructed them in private. Should be no surprise this kind of disfunctionality is common in the US!
Pastoral stuff can be done every quarter or as necessary.
Re: Ask HN: What's your opinion on weekly 1:1s?
#30For junior folks I like weekly. For senior folks where I already have good rapport, I prefer bi-weekly. Everybody knows they can come interrupt me when something is bothering them, but taking temperature regularly is important.