Consultation and Response from Someone Who Became an Engineering Manager for the First Time

I received a consultation from someone who became an Engineering Manager for the first time, so I’d like to share the content of my response.

Background: From Software Engineer to Team Leader

A software engineer at a business company became a team leader (serving as both Engineering Manager and Project Lead), and I received a consultation from them.

I’ll share the content of our text-based exchange via Google Docs and video meetings via Zoom, rewritten to avoid identifying the organization or individuals.

Q) What was the reason for sharing 1on1 documents individually?

A) Because there are many benefits to sharing

The reasons are as follows:

As written in 'Yahoo's 1on1': "During 1on1 meetings, the listening attitude should be to look at the other person's eyes rather than staring at the PC monitor." By sharing Google Docs, the facts recorded there can be shared
You can quickly reference topics discussed in the past
Homework that arises from 1on1 meetings can be shared through asynchronous communication
I had a personal experience where I was curious about what was being written when notes were being taken during my own 1on1 meetings

Q) Do you change the frequency of 1on1 meetings depending on the person?

A) Yes, I did change it

I was practicing the following content written in “What Managers Can Do for Effective 1-on-1 Meetings” by Taka Umada | Medium.

Setting appropriate frequency
The optimal frequency for 1on1 meetings varies depending on the situation. More frequent for younger people, less frequent for veterans More frequent for jobs where situations change easily, less frequent for jobs that don’t change frequently More frequent right after joining, less frequent thereafter It’s said to be better to vary based on the subordinate’s situation, job duties, and proficiency level. However, it’s recommended to conduct them at least biweekly. It’s better to schedule regular meetings when possible, but setting them at the end of each meeting is also one approach.

Q) The necessity of mentoring and coaching

The premise was “Since there are many senior engineers, technical advice doesn’t seem necessary (I wouldn’t be able to provide it).”

A) Regarding coaching, I asked someone with coaching qualifications for reference information

First, I received this advice:

Even though they're senior, advice might not be unnecessary. Executive coaching exists normally, so I think there's a certain effect for anyone.

Below is reference information:

A) I recommend understanding the reasons for working at this company

Additionally, I personally recommended initially interviewing the engineers under management about their “reasons for working at this company.”

(Examples) Because they can use specific technologies, because they want to contribute to the company’s business domain, because the salary is high, etc.