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Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang: "I discourage 1-on-1s"

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Re: Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang: "I discourage 1-on-1s"

#31

Post by stack_framer »

seatac76 wrote: post #6

It probably makes sense for a CEO who is direction setting and probably has other defined methods of feedback collections. For normals ICs 1:1s are crucial for career development. You absolutely need a space to talk candidly with your manager.

> You absolutely need a space to talk candidly with your manager.

It's not so easy when you feel like you can't trust the people to whom you report. I'm in this situation after attempting to be candid about what I felt were missteps on the part of my manager and a director of engineering. After a scolding from one of them, and a veiled threat about my employment ending, I now feel like I just shouldn't rock the boat. I mostly dread my 1:1s with them, and I don't feel like those meetings are time well spent.

I could maybe understand if I had offered unsolicited feedback, but they asked for my opinion and I gave it honestly.

Re: Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang: "I discourage 1-on-1s"

#32

Post by moralestapia »

seatac76 wrote: post #6

It probably makes sense for a CEO who is direction setting and probably has other defined methods of feedback collections. For normals ICs 1:1s are crucial for career development. You absolutely need a space to talk candidly with your manager.

>You absolutely need a space to talk candidly with your manager.

Yeah sure, and HR is your friend. /s

Re: Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang: "I discourage 1-on-1s"

#34

Post by starky »

DHPersonal wrote: post #5
starky wrote: post #4

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think this statement is really missing the point of 1-on-1's. They should be time set aside for the employee to talk about whatever is on their mind. It is ideally an opportunity for them to bring up any issues or concerns they might be having but is either unsuitable to or they are uncomfortable bringing it up with the larger group. Often the response is indeed, "Thanks for letting me know, I'll communicate that t…

The link seems to address that concern. It reads to me as if the view is that if the concern can't be shared with the group then it needn't be shared at all. Discussing it in the group benefits everyone because everyone can hear the concern and the response to it.

If you listened to his response it was very much centered on his communication whether he intended it that way or not.

I guess I should have elaborated more about the ICs. With experienced employees they should know how to provide feedback to a larger group, but you don't necessarily have that with junior or intermediate ICs who don't always have the confidence to say anything if you didn't provide them with a space to provide feedback or just have a complaining session.

It can also be just the possibility that feedback could be taken as personally attacking someone in a group setting. How does someone differentiate between general feedback and passive aggressive feedback singling them out? For someone that may not "fit in" with the group they are part of it is a real concern they have to consider. I can think of many examples where this is the case where the suitable action is to either give or receive feedback in a more private environment.

Re: Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang: "I discourage 1-on-1s"

#35

Post by strken »

seatac76 wrote: post #6

It probably makes sense for a CEO who is direction setting and probably has other defined methods of feedback collections. For normals ICs 1:1s are crucial for career development. You absolutely need a space to talk candidly with your manager.

Depends on your relationship with your manager. I get a coffee with mine at least once a day if we're in the office together, usually lunch too, and also sit next to him, so if we did 1:1s they'd just be redundant.

Grabbing coffee is of course an informal 1:1 anyway, but you don't need to formalise it unless your manager struggles to make time for you.

Re: Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang: "I discourage 1-on-1s"

#36

Post by whatevaa »

bigyikes wrote: post #20
anthony_d wrote: post #18

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I can definitely relate to that but I also appreciate having a set time on the calendar where I know my manager is available. Where I work a manager’s calendar is always full, literally meetings back to back from 8a to 5p. I’ve always scheduled 1 on 1’s with my team and I know it’s appreciated by some and I suspect dreaded by others. Are you not comfortable messaging your manager in advance to say you don’t have anyt…

Yeah maybe I should just say I don’t need to meet. Doing so feels like a faux pa or a failing of my duties somehow. Maybe it’s just in my head.

We have weekly 1:1 and I just say that I have nothing to say oftenly. Depends on you manager, but there is nothing wrong with that. A week is not a long period of time.

Re: Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang: "I discourage 1-on-1s"

#37

Post by devonsolomon »

(Via Paul Smith from Civitas)

In the recently released book Rassie: Stories of Life and Rugby by Rassie Erasmus (two time World Cup winning South African rugby coach), Rassie mentions that he doesn’t do one-on-ones. To quote from the book:

"Everything was done in front of everybody. I’ve never had a one-on-one with a player, except when he came to me with a deeply personal issue. I told them not to come to me individually with questions about why they were not in the team, or why they thought they deserved an opportunity…

Some of the newer players weren’t used to me not having one-on-one discussions. I told them I preferred to talk to everyone together so everyone understood what was going on, and no rumours started about what might have happened between me and a player behind closed doors."

Given how often sports team analogies are used in leadership speak, perhaps this fits.

Re: Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang: "I discourage 1-on-1s"

#38

Post by papichulo2023 »

rrr_oh_man wrote: post #16
bigyikes wrote: post #13

I dread 1:1s with my manager. I simply do not have that much to say that I do not already say in group meetings or other channels. I find myself racking my brain to come up with agenda items to fill the time and save face. Sometimes private conversations are necessary, but as a once in a while sort of thing, not on a biweekly cadence.

This is a perspective I have honestly never heard before. Would you care to elaborate? I‘d really love to understand your POV better. Maybe I have a blind spot somewhere. Background: I’ve always done them weekly (as biweekly seems to be worse than monthly — which in turn is arguably much worse than weekly). And they seemed to work quite well.. Basically 10-30min of chit-chat and catchup for relationship building.

Unlike the other comment, I am a bit more of the extrovert kind but most 1-on-1 are just a waste of time, we usually ended up repeating same things than previous meetings or chitchatting which we also do on coffee breaks or lunch time.

Re: Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang: "I discourage 1-on-1s"

#39

Post by mewpmewp2 »

paulddraper wrote: post #29
bigyikes wrote: post #13

I dread 1:1s with my manager. I simply do not have that much to say that I do not already say in group meetings or other channels. I find myself racking my brain to come up with agenda items to fill the time and save face. Sometimes private conversations are necessary, but as a once in a while sort of thing, not on a biweekly cadence.

A. hopefully your meetings (1:1) included are no longer than necessary. B. discuss your work, your projects, progress, possible threats

B. that's already done during stand ups.
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