Crafting 1:1s for Distributed Teams - LeadDev Austin 2019

Crafting 1:1s for Distributed Teams

Creating relationships with the individual humans on your distributed team is difficult since you rarely get to see them in person! But a team is much less likely to be effective and successful without a foundation of interpersonal relationships and trust. How do you build those when you live zip codes, time zones, countries apart?

1:1 meetings - these are the backbone of a successful team. The constraints present in remote 1:1s can be frustrating, but the right approach can result in some great 1:1 habits.

This talk will give you the tools you need to craft effective 1:1s for your distributed team. You’ll learn some ground rules for remote 1:1s, which details are important to get right and which ones aren’t worth sweating about. We’ll discuss what to talk about during your 1:1s and how to use these meetings to build more trusting and productive relationships with your team.

Done right, 1:1s will be your most important meeting of the week.

Transcript

1. My most important meeting of the week @spencernorman Lead Dev Austin 2019
2. Director of Engineering Hello! I’m Spencer Norman. Reaction Commerce @spencernorman
3. 15 7 people time zones @spencernorman
4. Distributed Team Story time 👨💻 👩💻 @spencernorman
5. Distributed Team Story time 👨💻 👩💻 @spencernorman
6. 1:1s are the most important meeting of my week @spencernorman
7. The 1:1 is a health check @spencernorman
8. 1:1s are my primary interaction with my team each week @spencernorman
9. Distributed team communication challenges @spencernorman
10. Distributed team communication challenges 1. Body language
 2. Impromptu 3. Teammate conversations interactions @spencernorman
11. 1. Body language
 2. Impromptu 3. Teammate conversations interactions Distributed team communication challenges @spencernorman
12. 1. Body language
 2. Impromptu 3. Teammate conversations interactions Distributed team communication challenges @spencernorman
13. Make 1:1s your most important meeting of the week @spencernorman
14. Guidelines for a productive distributed team 1:1 @spencernorman
15. 1. Be on time 2. Put it on your calendar 3. Do it every week 4. Keep a shared list of notes 5. No multitasking 6. Meet in a quiet place 7. Cameras on! 8. Start with a check-in 9. Their meeting, their agenda 10. Be prepared @spencernorman Guidelines for a productive distributed team 1:1 @spencernorman
16. 1. Be on time 2. Put it on your calendar 3. Do it every week 4. Keep a shared list of notes 5. No multitasking 6. Meet in a quiet place 7. Cameras on! 8. Start with a check-in 9. Their meeting, their agenda 10. Be prepared Guidelines for a productive distributed team 1:1 @spencernorman
17. 1. Be on time 2. Put it on your calendar 3. Do it every week 4. Keep a shared list of notes 5. No multitasking 6. Meet in a quiet place 7. Cameras on! 8. Start with a check-in 9. Their meeting, their agenda 10. Be prepared Guidelines for a productive distributed team 1:1 @spencernorman
18. 1. Be on time 2. Put it on your calendar 3. Do it every week 4. Keep a shared list of notes 5. No multitasking 6. Meet in a quiet place 7. Cameras on! 8. Start with a check-in 9. Their meeting, their agenda 10. Be prepared Guidelines for a productive distributed team 1:1 @spencernorman
19. 1. Be on time 2. Put it on your calendar 3. Do it every week 4. Keep a shared list of notes 5. No multitasking 6. Meet in a quiet place 7. Cameras on! 8. Start with a check-in 9. Their meeting, their agenda 10. Be prepared Guidelines for a productive distributed team 1:1 @spencernorman
20. 1. Be on time 2. Put it on your calendar 3. Do it every week 4. Keep a shared list of notes 5. No multitasking 6. Meet in a quiet place 7. Cameras on! 8. Start with a check-in 9. Their meeting, their agenda 10. Be prepared Guidelines for a productive distributed team 1:1 @spencernorman
21. @spencernorman 1:1 Agenda
22. A good check-in promotes empathy @spencernorman 1:1 Agenda 1. Check-in 2. Discussion 3. Follow-ups
23. @spencernorman @spencernorman Exhausted Tired Energetic Traf fi c-light prompt @spencernorman 1:1 Agenda 1. Check-in 2. Discussion 3. Follow-ups
24. What’s something you’ve done recently that you're proud of? What’s one interaction that’s causing stress for you? What do you need to say out loud to be fully present right now? Open-ended 
 “what” prompts @spencernorman 1:1 Agenda 1. Check-in 2. Discussion 3. Follow-ups
25. What’s holding me back right now is . What’s stressing me out this week is . The most important thing I can fi nish this week is . Fill-in the blank prompts @spencernorman 1:1 Agenda 1. Check-in 2. Discussion 3. Follow-ups
26. “Where should we start today?” @spencernorman 1:1 Agenda 1. Check-in 2. Discussion 3. Follow-ups
27. Check the pulse Use your 1:1 
 to triangulate how the team 
 is doing overall @spencernorman 1:1 Agenda 1. Check-in 2. Discussion 3. Follow-ups
28. Socialize and workshop ideas Ask how a challenge might be approached or ask for feedback on an idea @spencernorman 1:1 Agenda 1. Check-in 2. Discussion 3. Follow-ups
29. Create opportunity When there’s interest around a topic, there’s opportunity for ownership @spencernorman 1:1 Agenda 1. Check-in 2. Discussion 3. Follow-ups
30. Be the kind of leader that does what you say you’re going to do. Always follow-up @spencernorman 1:1 Agenda 1. Check-in 2. Discussion 3. Follow-ups
31. Thank you! @spencernorman Lead Dev Austin 2019