Deep Dive: Breaking Down the 1:1

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Introduction

It should come as no surprise to anyone these days that 1:1s between a manager and their direct reports are important (and there’s a mountain of evidence that suggests this as well), and yet so many companies and managers get them wrong. As a manager, your 1:1s should be dedicated space on your calendar with each direct report to allow for the necessary time and space to build trust, allow for an easy flow of ideas, and wear your mentor and coach hats.

This seems like a silly way to open this post, but the more I speak with engineering managers, the more I’ve noticed two major patterns when it comes to 1:1s: