A Software Engineer Cheat Sheet for One-on-One Meetings

One-on-one meetings are the cornerstone of your career development and a critical way for you to get feedback and guidance from your manager. But when t becomes too frequent, it can be intimidating.

What if you come unprepared or get nervous and forget everything you wanted to talk about? What if you can't think of what to talk about?

This article will explore one-on-one meeting best practices from a software engineer’s perspective. And with this cheat sheet and one-on-one hacks, you’ll be running one-on-one meetings like a pro in no time.

Let’s begin.

What is The Purpose of One-on-One Meetings?

The purpose of one-on-one meetings is to create a safe space to exchange positive and constructive feedback. Taking ownership of one-on-one meetings with your manager ensures that you’re proactive about tackling issues and employee performance.

As a software engineer, working hard to deliver projects in due time can be very stressful for software developers. Your manager can assign tasks, track your personal and professional progress, and receive updates on your milestones and personal vision for each project.

Scheduling regular 1:1 meetings will help you build discussion points with your manager. They can include creating opportunities for receiving the help and support you need to nail your KPIs and achieve your goals.

One-on-one sessions for software engineers are also a great time to discuss these pressures and find ways to reduce/prevent burnout and boost programming productivity. Withconstructive one-on-one meeting questions, your manager can also gain insight into your personality and professional goals.

Other reasons to have one-on-ones with your manager include:

• To explore team dynamics.
• Keep each other in the loop.
• Build trust and transparency.
• Build better manager-employee relationships.
• Foster accountability for both parties.
• Work effectively and deliver results faster.

As important as one-on-one meetings are, they can often get awkward. To avoid this, and have high-performing meetings with your manager, read - How To Prepare For A One-on-One Meeting With Your Manager

What do you discuss in one on one as a software engineer?

During a 1:1 meeting, you can discuss anything from ongoing projects to your accomplishments, career developments, team developments, work concerns, and even hobbies.

Knowing what to discuss in a one-on-one starts with having dedicated time and a kickass agenda. Agenda templates help you create a detailed checklist for an effective one-on-one meeting. And what you choose to discuss typically depends on your current needs.

Of course, there are certain things you should not discuss during a one-on-one. And while there are particular needs for different meetings, the structure of 1:1 meetings should follow the same pattern:

• A quick check-in or recap of the last discussion. Keep it short and positive.
• Address priorities and goals. These could be about work issues, career development, team improvement, work-life balance, or even a raise.
• Ask for and give feedback where necessary.
• Reflect on how much progress you’re making. This will also be an excellent time to point out steps you’ve taken to work on and improve on your lapses.

Once you decide what you’d like to discuss during your 1:1, it’s essential to know the right questions to ask and when.

What questions should a software engineer ask during a one-on-one?

1. Are there any opportunities for me to help out with projects, or get involved in other areas that interest me?
2. If we were working on this project together, how would you approach it?
3. What are your expectations regarding my performance this year? What goals and objectives would you like to see me accomplish over the next three to six months?
4. What skills do the best software engineers have that I need to learn?
5. What future challenges do you anticipate for the engineering team, and how can I help?
6. What software engineering best practices does our team need to implement?
7. What are some of your favorite tools/apps that help you get work done more efficiently?
8. What is it about our team that marks you proud?
9. Can you tell me about some past projects that were especially successful or challenging? (And what lessons did you take away from them?)
10. What's something that's going well right now that we didn't expect? How did we accomplish that, and how did we come up with the solution?

These questions will help you gain insight into your team, your manager’s personality and your career goals. You’ll also ensure that both parties get the most out of the meeting. Note that your manager will also have questions for you.

Assembly | How to set up and answer a One on One workflow

Need more good one on one questions to ask your manager? Check these out.

When is the best time to schedule a one-on-one?

The best time to schedule one-on-one meetings is every two weeks. Although some companies prefer weekly meetings, this frequency usually creates a balance between effective time management and regularity.

How so?

Well, cadence and regularity are important for one-on-ones, but you also need to consider relevance. Weekly one-on-one meetings are popular, but they can become too frequent for the level of autonomy you have at work.

Tech teams typically use collaboration tools for communication. This means that many issues are addressed in real time, and having another 1:1 every week can become boring with little to nothing to talk about. 

In cases where there’s so much going on that needs to be addressed immediately; you can request to schedule a one-on-one within a week of the previous meeting. The key here is flexibility and not a mindless routine. 

Can you skip a one-on-one meeting?

Yes, you can. You may have weekly one-on-ones fall during a short week, like when there’s a holiday during the week, or you or your manager are out sick, you can skip the meeting for the next week. Whatever the case, remember that flexibility and reasonableness play a part in the cadence of your 1:1 meetings.

Should one-on-ones be held before or after a project?

One-on-one meetings are typically focused on improving manager-employee relationships. Hence, they can be held before, during, and at the end of a project. One-on-one meetings are not the time for giving project reports.

They are used to manage your challenges, career aspirations, team bonding, and areas for improvement. Other meetings like sprints, daily standups, and performance reviews are better opportunities for discussing project goals, challenges, and outcomes.

5 Tips for Having Effective One-on-Ones for Software Engineers

To ensure that your one-on-one is effective and beneficial for both parties, you should:

1. Come Prepared
2. Keep It Short and Relevant
3. Take Notes
4. Give and Receive Feedback
5. Specify Next Steps and Action Points

Let’s talk more about these tips.

1. Come Prepared

If your plan is to ‘just wing it’ during your one-on-one, you’ll end up wasting your time and probably pissing off your boss. Plan and structure your meeting to follow a professional but friendly flow. 

Create an agenda and write out your talking points. Since one-on-ones are collaborative, you also need to share the agenda with your manager so they know what to expect and can also prepare ahead of time.

2. Keep It Short and Relevant

One-on-one meetings with your manager are more beneficial when they are short, sweet, and effective. This way, both parties stay engaged all through and can get back to doing actual work. A 30-minute meeting is usually enough to discuss pending issues. Stick to asking relevant work-related questions and avoid inappropriate topics and/or jokes. 

3. Take Notes

Ditch your laptop. If possible, try to take handwritten notes. This reduces your chances of distraction and shows that you’re paying attention to details. You can also easily review your notes during the next meeting.

4. Give and Receive Feedback

Remember to ask for and give positive and constructive feedback during your one-on-one. Because they are more personal, one-on-one meetings are an excellent opportunity to talk freely and share your thoughts and concerns without fear of backlash or wondering how other team members may react.

5. Specify Next Steps and Action Points

A one-on-one meeting with your manager that does not end with detailed action points is a waste of time. Outlining next steps helps both parties know what is required of them. It also helps measure the meeting outcome and is a great ay to track progress during the next meet

Take Ownership of Your One-on-One Meetings Today

Initiating and facilitating one-on-one meetings with your manager can seem like a lot of work. But, in the long run, it benefits you and your entire team and can be the secret weapon your manager needs to lead efficiently. You’ll be able to make better decisions and get the support you need to deliver quality, timely work every time. You’ll also be able to address situations before they become serious issues. 

Ready to get started? Use this detailed one-on-one with a manager template. Ensure structure, efficiency, and transparency with Assembly’s workflow tools. Schedule a call today now to learn more.