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1-on-1 meeting questions

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Re: 1-on-1 meeting questions

#211

Post by koreth1 »

octodog wrote: post #169
ken wrote: post #135

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You are fortunate that the problems with modern software shops happen to align with the types of problems you can deal with. For example, there aren't plenty of companies with quiet offices searching for developers. When I tell my manager "The noise in this new open floorplan office is killing my productivity", they say "OK, well, that's not going to change", and then we spend the rest of the hour rearranging deck ch…

Surely there are other options your manager and you can look at that fall between having an open floorplan and not having one. Get them to buy you noise cancelling headphones or something.

Noise canceling headphones don't do a good job of canceling the kinds of noise you hear in an office environment, though (conversations, ringtones, people across the room suddenly erupting in loud laughter).

Re: 1-on-1 meeting questions

#212

Post by TheDong »

hw wrote: post #129
koonsolo wrote: post #73

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What a strange, helpless way to look at the world. Employment is not a boss->servant relationship, it's a relationship where both parties gain something. You offer a service, and they pay for that. End of story. They act out? Then you find someone else who needs your services. As a programmer myself, I'm in this great position where there is a shortage of good developers, and plenty of companies searching for good de…

First of all, if your manager is any good, (s)he will already have replacements in the pipeline, given the musical chairs nature of the industry. Second, why aren't you already at a different job that pays you more instead of hanging that over your manager's head? Third, don't underestimate how many other good developers that are out there, looking for the next job. It might not require 6 months of training for the n…

> Second, why aren't you already at a different job that pays you more instead of hanging that over your manager's head?

There's also value in being able to work on the same project over time and see it evolve, feel like you own features, etc.

There's value in staying at the same company because you don't have to move, change your commute, switch healthcare providers / doctors, etc.

I think the attitude of "well, just quit, don't make any attempt to see if you can improve the current place" is toxic. Yes, there are some places you really should quit. No, the fact that you could quit and make another $10k, but having to switch doctors and find a new daycare along the new commute, and potentially work on things less aligned with your interests... Those things have value too.

Most developers aren't mercenaries trying to find the most money. We're looking for a balance of a lot of money and a good work environment and work/projects we like.

Re: 1-on-1 meeting questions

#213

Post by WrtCdEvrydy »

joncrane wrote: post #184
abraxas wrote: post #179

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Visual noise is as bad as audible noise. What's next, horse blinders?

I have fantasized about draping a thick black curtain around my workstation to try to focus. Do you think that would fly?

We had a guy who used his lifted desk to build a little box for himself (out of carboard)

Re: 1-on-1 meeting questions

#214

Post by bumby »

hw wrote: post #129
koonsolo wrote: post #73

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What a strange, helpless way to look at the world. Employment is not a boss->servant relationship, it's a relationship where both parties gain something. You offer a service, and they pay for that. End of story. They act out? Then you find someone else who needs your services. As a programmer myself, I'm in this great position where there is a shortage of good developers, and plenty of companies searching for good de…

First of all, if your manager is any good, (s)he will already have replacements in the pipeline, given the musical chairs nature of the industry. Second, why aren't you already at a different job that pays you more instead of hanging that over your manager's head? Third, don't underestimate how many other good developers that are out there, looking for the next job. It might not require 6 months of training for the n…

I’ve been in companies where they stayed early it would be 1.5 years before I could meaningfully contribute. A big red flag.

And your comment about silo’d orgs was spot on in this case

Re: 1-on-1 meeting questions

#215

Post by AgentOrange1234 »

skizm wrote: post #195
empath75 wrote: post #180

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Personal life nonsense? I'm your co-worker, not your friend. Changing this attitude contributed as much to my doubling and then almost tripling my salary over the course of a few years as much as anything technical did. Your managers and coworkers are human beings and engaging with them like human beings will open doors for you. I pretty much only talk about personal stuff in one on ones, and will use maybe one out…

Oh yea, I'm well aware, and I play the game as best I can. I go to the occasional happy hour, I shoot the shit with my managers and co-workers, I talk about their kids or hobbies or whatever they want to talk about. I just don't want to do any of these things. It's draining to pretend you care all the time. But if I don't it affects raises / bonuses (only job related things I care about) and also project placement (w…

You are right that nothing will magically change by itself. Perhaps there are things you can do to make yourself genuinely care. Faking it sounds like it’s draining your energy and making you less successful. So what can you try out, other than continuing to fake it?

Re: 1-on-1 meeting questions

#216

Post by epicgiga »

koonsolo wrote: post #73
RotaryTelephone wrote: post #63

My 1on1's at a 100k+ international corporation always went like this: Manager: so how's it going? Me: great Manager: any issues? anything you want to discuss? Me: everything is fantastic! I'm very happy with my job :D Manager: cool cool... well let's do this again next month. Me: yay! I don't want someone in a similar situation like I was to get inspired by lists like these and go into their next 1on1 wrecking havoc…

What a strange, helpless way to look at the world. Employment is not a boss->servant relationship, it's a relationship where both parties gain something. You offer a service, and they pay for that. End of story. They act out? Then you find someone else who needs your services. As a programmer myself, I'm in this great position where there is a shortage of good developers, and plenty of companies searching for good de…

Employment is actually, as a matter of law, a boss -> servant relationship.

Re: 1-on-1 meeting questions

#217

Post by abraxas »

WrtCdEvrydy wrote: post #213
joncrane wrote: post #184

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I have fantasized about draping a thick black curtain around my workstation to try to focus. Do you think that would fly?

We had a guy who used his lifted desk to build a little box for himself (out of carboard)

Improv cubicle... yeah. These are sad times when cubicles are a hallmark of the good old times.

Re: 1-on-1 meeting questions

#218

Post by war1025 »

VectorLock wrote: post #86
RotaryTelephone wrote: post #63

My 1on1's at a 100k+ international corporation always went like this: Manager: so how's it going? Me: great Manager: any issues? anything you want to discuss? Me: everything is fantastic! I'm very happy with my job :D Manager: cool cool... well let's do this again next month. Me: yay! I don't want someone in a similar situation like I was to get inspired by lists like these and go into their next 1on1 wrecking havoc…

I find myself doing those exact kind of 1:1s with my reports and I HATE it. This at least provides, I think, maybe some inspiration on some better questions to ask.

My one on one conversations with my boss became significantly more productive when we started just going and grabbing a cup of coffee for them.

It's a more social setting, which puts you on footing to actually have a conversation.

The previous six years to that, my boss would ask the same canned questions and I would give the same canned answers. The whole process would take about three minutes and nothing would be gained by anyone.

Re: 1-on-1 meeting questions

#219

Post by Izkata »

skizm wrote: post #61

As a grunt IC 1 on 1s are a nightmare for me. I never know what to talk about. All current project stuff is hashed out in or after scrum. Career development is more of a once per year thing (at least not weekly). If I had a problem with any of my team members I would have brought it up by now (assuming I thought others felt that way, I don't want to be the only one to bring it up or I'll be seen as the problem). For…

> All current project stuff is hashed out in or after scrum.

I don't know if he actually cares or if it's just a way to get me to talk, but my manager and I always start with whatever I'm currently doing, just in more detail than standup allows.

Re: 1-on-1 meeting questions

#220

Post by epicgiga »

My 1:1s with last boss I had went like: "how are things..." "good" "1:1 complete".

And that was on Slack.

The guy just hated them, so that was my idea and made him happy.

And I don't disagree with that. Sticking rigidly to one true cadence of one true meeting is a religious ritual we can do without.

If a 1:1 adds anything to your team, it indicates defects. Everyone should be raising issues as they come up and have a close enough working relationship with their boss that a cyclical meeting adds nothing.

And most of those questions are weak: bosses annoy and lose respect of their subordinates when they go all "facilitator" and "servant leader". A leader guides, they don't ask subordinates to tell them how to do their jobs. There are plenty of traditional ways to glean improvement information than appearing weak by asking "how can I be a better boss".

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