How To Prepare For A Skip Level Meeting (+ Questions To Ask)
When an employee has a meeting with his manager’s manager, it’s called a skip-level meeting. The discussion “skips” over one layer of management.
In this article, we’ll break down every aspect of a skip-level meeting including how to prepare as the employee and the manager.
- What is a skip-level meeting?
- Why should you have one?
- How do you prepare?
- Questions to ask (employee and manager)
- Skip-level meeting agenda
What is a skip-level meeting?
A skip-level meeting is a planned discussion between an employee and the manager of the employee’s manager. It skips over the direct boss in the chain.
It’s a chance for the employee to ask questions and share feedback at a higher level. It’s also a chance for the director to learn more about concerns, ideas, and questions from the employee level.
Why should you have a skip-level meeting?
For employees, it is a good chance to do the following:
- Talk directly to higher management
- Find out more about what’s going on in the company
- Get advice or feedback from a senior perspective
- Build a direct relationship with upper management
For managers, it is a good chance to do the following:
- Get direct insight into operations and employee sentiment
- Identify ways to improve
- Build trust and relationships
- Identify talent within the company
How do you prepare for a skip-level meeting?
Here’s how employees can prepare:
- Know What to Expect: Understand what you’ll talk about in the meeting.
- Think About Your Role: Reflect on what you do, your successes, and any problems you’ve faced.
- Prepare Questions: Think of specific questions you want to ask.
Here’s how managers can prepare:
- Set Clear Objectives: Determine what you want to achieve from the meeting. Mainly, you want to clear barriers for the employee in his or her career and in the job.
- Review The Employee’s Story, History, and Work: Review the backgrounds, roles, recent projects, and any previous feedback of the employees you will be meeting.
- Decide How To Create A Space To Talk Freely: Assure confidentiality to encourage honest and constructive communication.
- Prepare Questions
Good Questions For A Skip-Level Meeting
Questions the employee could ask:
- Understanding Company Vision and Strategy:
- “Where do you see the company going in the next few years?”
- How do the current projects/initiatives align with the company’s long-term goals and vision?
- Can you share insights into the company’s strategic direction for the next year and how our team contributes to that vision?
- Feedback on Team Performance:
- From your perspective, what are the strengths of our team, and where do you see opportunities for improvement?
- “How do you think our team is doing?”
- How does our work impact the company’s objectives and your expectations?
- Career Development:
- “What can I do to grow in my career here?”
- “Is there any part of my work you think I can do better?”
- What skills and competencies are most valued in the organization right now, and what would you recommend I focus on for my professional development?
- Can you provide examples of career paths that have been successful in the organization for individuals in my role?
- Organizational Challenges and Changes:
- “What are the biggest challenges for our company right now?”
- Are there any upcoming changes in the organization that could impact our team or department?
- How can our team better adapt to the changing needs of the organization?
- Employee Well-being and Engagement:
- What measures is the company taking to ensure employee well-being and work-life balance?
- How does the company plan to address feedback received from employee engagement surveys?
Questions the manager could ask:
- Insights into Team Dynamics and Morale:
- How would you describe the morale and dynamics within the team?
- Are there any challenges in communication or collaboration within the team or with other departments?
- Feedback on Leadership and Support:
- How effective do you find the communication and leadership style of your direct supervisor?
- What support do you need from management that you’re currently not receiving?
- Understanding Employee Perspectives:
- What do you enjoy most about your work, and what aspects do you find most challenging?
- Are there any processes or tools that you believe could be improved to enhance productivity or job satisfaction?
- Identifying Opportunities and Ideas:
- Do you have any ideas or suggestions that could help improve our products, services, or workflows?
- Are there any market trends or opportunities you think we are not currently addressing?
- Career Development and Goals:
- What are your long-term career goals, and how can the company support you in achieving them?
- What kind of training or professional development opportunities are you interested in?
- Feedback on Organizational Policies and Culture:
- How do you feel about the company’s culture and values? Do they resonate with you and your colleagues?
- Are there any policies or aspects of the work environment that you think could be improved?
Skip-Level Meeting Agenda
Want to download the skip-level meeting agenda in Google Docs or Word? It’s part of our meeting agenda library that you can download here.
Purpose:
To talk openly with a senior leader and get a new perspective.
Agenda:
- Start the Meeting (5 mins)
- Quick introductions.
- Explain why you’re meeting.
- Your Role and Experience (15 mins)
- Talk about your job and what you’ve been doing.
- Share your successes or any issues.
- Your Questions (20 mins)
- Ask the questions you’ve prepared.
- Feedback from the Leader (10 mins)
- Hear their thoughts and feedback.
- Learn about new developments in the company.
- Wrapping Up (10 mins)
- Summarize what you’ve talked about.
- Plan any next steps.
