Skip-Level Meeting Questions for Engineering Managers
Essential questions for skip-level 1:1s with your team. Build trust, uncover issues, and get honest feedback about your management team.
Skip-level meetings (meeting with your reports' reports) are crucial for understanding team health and identifying blind spots. Use these questions to build trust and get authentic feedback.
Template (Copy & Paste)
# Skip-Level Meeting Questions ## Relationship with Manager (20 min) - How are things going with [Manager Name]? - What's working well in your relationship? - What could [Manager] do differently to support you better? - Do you feel comfortable giving [Manager] honest feedback? - How often do you have 1:1s? Is that the right frequency? - Do you feel [Manager] understands your career goals? ## Team Dynamics (15 min) - How would you describe the team culture? - Do you feel included and valued on the team? - Are there any tensions or conflicts I should know about? - Do you have the resources and support you need? - What's one thing that would make the team more effective? ## Career & Growth (10 min) - Do you feel you're growing in your role? - What skills do you want to develop? - Do you see a clear path forward here? - Are you getting enough challenging work? - What type of projects excite you most? ## Process & Execution (10 min) - What's slowing you or the team down? - Are there any processes that feel broken? - Do you have clarity on priorities? - How could we improve our ways of working? ## Feedback for Me (5 min) - What should I know that I might not be seeing? - What's one thing I could do better as a leader? - How can I better support you and the team? ## Closing (5 min) - What haven't we talked about that's on your mind? - Is there anything you want to make sure I know? - Can I follow up on anything we discussed today?
How to Use This Template
- 1Schedule 45-60 minutes per skip-level (don't rush)
- 2Make it clear this is not about evaluating them
- 3Emphasize confidentiality - only share patterns, not specifics
- 4Start with easier questions to build comfort
- 5Listen 80%, talk 20% - you're here to learn
- 6Take notes but be present, don't stare at laptop
- 7Ask follow-up questions when you sense there's more
- 8Thank them for their honesty and openness
- 9Follow up on themes you hear across multiple skip-levels
- 10Share general insights with managers without breaking trust
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- ✕Making it feel like a performance review - this is about learning
- ✕Defending your manager when they share concerns - just listen
- ✕Breaking confidentiality and sharing who said what
- ✕Only doing skip-levels when there's a problem - make them regular
- ✕Not taking action on themes you hear repeatedly
- ✕Doing skip-levels too frequently - quarterly is usually right
- ✕Asking leading questions - be genuinely curious
- ✕Forgetting to tell the manager you're doing skip-levels