Skip Level Meeting Guide for Leaders
codingsans.com
Skip Level Meeting Guide for Leaders
1–10 of 60 posts
Re: Skip Level Meeting Guide for Leaders
#2I dislike that skip levels are positioned as some sort of variation of a 1:1, as other than the # of people they have nothing in common. The 1:1 is for the employee while skip levels are all about the senior manager. We already have enough opportunities for them to set the agenda and drive the conversation. A real 1:1 is a frank conversation about early-stage (potentially bad) things and based on mutual trust and vulnerability; this is impossible with the power dynamic in a skip level.
>> when it comes to individual contributors, who are a two level skip for me, ... I do a skip level group meeting with three to six people.
and this isn't even a 1:1. I can't imagine you get any sort of honest or actionable feedback in this sort of forum. There's a mismatch between the tool and the operator.
Re: Skip Level Meeting Guide for Leaders
#3I dislike that skip levels are positioned as some sort of variation of a 1:1, as other than the # of people they have nothing in common. The 1:1 is for the employee while skip levels are all about the senior manager. We already have enough opportunities for them to set the agenda and drive the conversation. A real 1:1 is a frank conversation about early-stage (potentially bad) things and based on mutual trust and vul…
If you have a bunch of cogs working, sure. But if you have a dynamic team that has the courage to point things out to senior leaders it can be a good way to pull back the veil on what’s really going on.
Re: Skip Level Meeting Guide for Leaders
#4I dislike that skip levels are positioned as some sort of variation of a 1:1, as other than the # of people they have nothing in common. The 1:1 is for the employee while skip levels are all about the senior manager. We already have enough opportunities for them to set the agenda and drive the conversation. A real 1:1 is a frank conversation about early-stage (potentially bad) things and based on mutual trust and vul…
> mutual trust and vulnerability
Depending on your manager and organization, this is definitely not mutual. Managers have power over their reports, even if it is as subtle as being able to influence the decisions of more senior management over who should be promoted, retained, demoted, or fired.
Re: Skip Level Meeting Guide for Leaders
#5Everytime I have been invited to a 1 on 1 with someone high up the org ladder, I have been given talking points from the people in between
Re: Skip Level Meeting Guide for Leaders
#6Everytime I have been invited to a 1 on 1 with someone high up the org ladder, I have been given talking points from the people in between
When I was a jr. engineer, I had a skip level meeting with the director of our department (~30 people). I asked the director -- in the snarky way that certain entitled junior employees have -- what he actually did in his job. He laughed and explained that his job was to make sure senior management understood what we were doing and were onboard with why we were doing it. Nobody gave me any talking points and I was too green to worry about the political ramifications of my snark... and there weren't any. It was just a half hour opportunity to talk to someone I didn't usually get a chance to talk to. I now realize that this company, or maybe just that department, was a particularly healthy place to work.
Re: Skip Level Meeting Guide for Leaders
#7I dislike that skip levels are positioned as some sort of variation of a 1:1, as other than the # of people they have nothing in common. The 1:1 is for the employee while skip levels are all about the senior manager. We already have enough opportunities for them to set the agenda and drive the conversation. A real 1:1 is a frank conversation about early-stage (potentially bad) things and based on mutual trust and vul…
I had a skip-level yesterday as the Senior Manager talking to a group of 8 IC's in my org.
They brought critical feedback to me about an initiative we as a group are working on. They brought actionable ideas and they communicated them to me in a professional and sincere way.
We worked together to identify their areas of concern to make sure I understood them and I communicated that I would bring these up and work to see if we could adjust with that in mind.
2 hours later, I had my regular weekly 1:1 with a manager involved and presented those proposals. I asked them what could work as proposed and what needed work. Most were accepted, not because I mandated them, but because this is real feedback. Some we are working to get more clarity on and figure out if we can change anything.
Not all of my skip levels are this fruitful but trust and vulnerability come from creating psychological safety. I thanked the group for being a part of making that happen.
----
I also have a rule in my skip levels that if you are uncomfortable raising in the group setting there are two options:
- We can talk privately - You can ask me prior to the meeting to raise the point in the room
The second has never been used yet, but I keep it open if someone feels like they are not comfortable speaking out, but want to discuss something in a group that could be challenging.
Re: Skip Level Meeting Guide for Leaders
#8I dislike that skip levels are positioned as some sort of variation of a 1:1, as other than the # of people they have nothing in common. The 1:1 is for the employee while skip levels are all about the senior manager. We already have enough opportunities for them to set the agenda and drive the conversation. A real 1:1 is a frank conversation about early-stage (potentially bad) things and based on mutual trust and vul…
Your skip level manager is not any more able to fire you than your manager, so I see no reason why you'd have to be more careful in those meetings than the 1:1 with your manager. I'd even say that if you aren't getting to meet and make an impression on your skip level then there is something wrong. They are your best bet to get promoted and if the organization tries to block that path for you then why should you stay instead of looking for better opportunities?
Re: Skip Level Meeting Guide for Leaders
#9Does anybody have advice on how to make the most of meetings with coworkers/mentors 2+ levels up the ladder from yourself? I once had a great session with a c-suite exec in an employer with 5 digits worth of employees, but I think that was as much due to his being a really motivated mentor as any prep or questions I did. I want to make sure I'm prepared for future meetings if the mentor is not as open or enthusiastic about mentorship.
Re: Skip Level Meeting Guide for Leaders
#10I dislike that skip levels are positioned as some sort of variation of a 1:1, as other than the # of people they have nothing in common. The 1:1 is for the employee while skip levels are all about the senior manager. We already have enough opportunities for them to set the agenda and drive the conversation. A real 1:1 is a frank conversation about early-stage (potentially bad) things and based on mutual trust and vul…
Your skip level manager is not any more able to fire you than your manager, so I see no reason why you'd have to be more careful in those meetings than the 1:1 with your manager. I'd even say that if you aren't getting to meet and make an impression on your skip level then there is something wrong. They are your best bet to get promoted and if the organization tries to block that path for you then why should you stay…
> Your skip level manager is not any more able to fire you than your manager
True, but say something that reflects negatively on your manager, and if they hear about it, they may rapidly become _more likely_ to fire you than the skip-level manager.