I Had My First One-On-One As Tech Lead. I Talked For Forty Minutes. The Engineer Said Seven Words.

📰 Medium · Data Science

Improve your one-on-one meetings as a tech lead by actively listening to your team members and avoiding dominating the conversation

intermediate Published 24 May 2026
Action Steps
  1. Prepare an agenda for the meeting but leave space for open discussion
  2. Ask open-ended questions to encourage the engineer to share their thoughts
  3. Practice active listening by maintaining eye contact and avoiding interruptions
  4. Limit your own talking time to allow the engineer to contribute
  5. Take notes on the key points discussed during the meeting
Who Needs to Know This

Tech leads and managers can benefit from this advice to improve their communication skills and build stronger relationships with their team members

Key Insight

💡 Active listening is crucial in one-on-one meetings to build trust and understand the team member's perspective

Share This
💡 As a tech lead, remember that one-on-one meetings are a two-way conversation. Listen more, talk less!
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