1:1 - the essential tool for leaders

I remember the first 1:1 sessions with engineers from my team. I approached them and asked for a short private meeting. I wanted to tell them that we would see each other every week and talk about their challenges. I wanted to express my commitment to developing their skills and overall helping them grow. Instead… it was super awkward. Some of my teammates were really stressed. Shaking hands, breaking voice  It made me worried as well. Is there something they want me to say? I thought. When I started a 1:1 discussion, a teammate asked me: What is this meeting for? Am I fired? The teammate was one of the most influential people on the team. But. We had never had 1:1 before. And I approached him out of the blue, interrupted in the middle of focus time, and asked for a private meeting. I think his reaction was very reasonable. <h1>1:1 is an essential tool for leaders</h1> Every successful leader says that 1:1s is one of the essential things in their job. But for fresh managers, these sessions are tough. I did hundreds of 1:1s in my career. Today I cannot imagine a better way of working with my teammates. But the early days were super hard. <a href="https://blog.practicalengineering.management/1-1-the-essential-tool-for-leaders-276deb11c53a">Click Here</a>