Importance of Skip level Management meeting in organization

By,
Prajakta

Skip level meeting. What is that?

           It's a kind of tool (interview process) for managers to build trust and know their team members, want to know exact thought process one or more level below. This helps managers to understand the real problems and an opportunity to work on them.

 

            Skip level meeting means omitting a particular individual or group form attending meetings. This is usually done to by seniors in case of confidential matters or any action to be initiated for any individual or group or some key business meetings where everyone is not required.

             Normally, managers who are managing more than 10 to 12 team members, and 10 to 12 project at a time, who are directly reporting to them while other team members report to project leads. Due to this hierarchical structure, team members may not get any opportunity to talk to managers to share their views on the project, company or management. To minimize this gap, managers should proactively schedule Skip level meetings with their team members.

Step 1:
Send a meeting invite in advance  to your team member (not to direct reports )  - a level or two below or one level below. Please do not try to schedule this meeting at 11th hour as she/he may not be ready.

Step 2:
Best meeting duration around 30 minutes.

Step 3:
Note that your team member may not have an experience of these types of meetings and may not be aware about the outcome of the same. As you are also trying to acknowledge your team members' thoughts about the project, company and also their satisfaction, dissatisfaction etc. explain the purpose of this meeting. Take them into confidence stating that all the discussions will be kept secret and their views won't be revealed.

Step 4:
Be supportive and patient. Try to motivate your team member to open up and share his/her views/ideas. Please do not relate any situation or comment personally or do not try to defend any comment.

Step 5:
Be a good listener. Talk less and aggravate your team member to talk more. Ask questions like -
1. Can you please elaborate that topic?
2. Oh? I was not aware.
3. Can you help me out to understand?

Step 6:
Focus your questions on areas like -
1. Biographical data
2. Project related views/ideas
3. Organization and management

Step 7:
Always use clear language . And ask question if required take notes wherever applicable.

Step 8:
Most important is to keep all the information secret. And take action wherever required.