1:1 meetings show up on nearly every engineer’s calendar, yet their impact can vary greatly depending on how they’re approached. For some, they remain quick, routine check-ins. For others, they become one of the few moments to step back from day-to-day tasks, clarify expectations and talk openly about what supports good work.
In this edition of our Career insights series, Iryna Kostiuk, People Partner at Pwrteams Poland, shares her perspective on what can help make these conversations more purposeful and supportive for both sides. It isn’t a set of rules or a formula - simply themes that emerge frequently in conversations about how engineers stay aligned, communicate clearly and grow steadily in their roles.
They use the 1:1 to understand the “shape” of the work, not just the tasks
Experienced engineers rarely think of their work as a list of isolated items. They think about relationships between tasks: why something matters, how it fits into the bigger picture and what trade-offs exist beneath the surface.
A well-used 1:1 often becomes the place to understand these connections. Instead of running through updates, engineers might talk about what feels uncertain, what hidden assumptions they’re noticing or why a task is absorbing more time than expected.
These conversations often clarify things that are easy to miss in daily stand-ups - for example, an unspoken shift in priorities, an expectation that hasn’t been verbalised yet or a risk that is technically small but strategically important.
The best engineers treat clarity as part of their job, and the 1:1 as a practical tool to get it.
They check alignment early, especially when they see multiple paths forward
Engineering work constantly involves choosing between various options: speed vs. sustainability, rework vs. refactor, quick patch vs. long-term fix. These decisions have consequences far beyond a single ticket.
In a 1:1, engineers who communicate well tend to bring these decision points forward. Instead of assuming their instinct matches the manager’s view, they check. It doesn't necessarily need to happen through long discussions, often simple prompts can do the job:
“Given the recent changes, is this still the right direction?”
“Would you prefer a quick solution now or a more stable one slightly later?”
These small alignment moments prevent weeks of misinterpreted intentions. They also help managers see how engineers think, not just what they deliver.
They treat emerging technical concerns as shared context, not private worries
Systems rarely fail all at once; they deteriorate in signals. Engineers notice these signals earliest because they work closest to the details. The difference is how they act on them.
Strong engineers bring those signals into the 1:1 when they first appear, long before they mature into blockers. They might mention that a specific module is becoming unpredictable or that a dependency keeps introducing small delays that accumulate into bigger ones.
These aren’t escalations, they’re part of building shared situational awareness. When managers understand where fragility is rising, they can defend space for improvements, protect focus time or negotiate expectations with stakeholders.
The depth here comes not from complaining about problems but from framing them in a way that supports collective decision-making.
They use the 1:1 to talk about how the team works, not just what it delivers
Most engineering challenges are not purely technical. They come from misaligned communication, inconsistent review expectations, different interpretations of urgency or blurred ownership.
Engineers who make good use of their 1:1s speak openly about these dynamics, not dramatically, but thoughtfully. For example:
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A recurring misunderstanding in requirements becomes a conversation about how information flows.
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A slow review cycle becomes a question about shared expectations.
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A tense collaboration moment becomes an exploration of how roles interact.
These topics rarely get airtime in group settings, but they profoundly affect productivity and stress levels. Raised early, they allow teams to adjust before tension becomes inertia.
They approach feedback as calibration, not evaluation
The engineers who grow consistently tend to view feedback very differently from those who avoid it. They don’t treat it as a judgment, they treat it as a way to tune their approach. In 1:1s, they often ask questions that are specific rather than broad. For example:
“Was my communication clear enough in last week’s sync?”
“Is there something I could have prepared differently for that discussion?”
“If I want to progress in this direction, what should I practise now?”
These questions help managers give meaningful, grounded feedback rather than general observations.
And because the engineer initiates the conversation, the feedback feels collaborative rather than imposed.
Over time, this becomes a quiet but powerful growth mechanism.
They connect immediate work with long-term development
Career development is often imagined as a separate process, but in reality, it’s tightly connected to everyday work. Engineers who use their 1:1s thoughtfully recognise this. They bring questions such as:
“If I want to move toward more architectural work, what could I take on this quarter?”
“This type of task challenges me - could I gradually do more of it?”
The conversation then becomes less about an abstract future and more about shaping the work that happens now. It also helps managers understand what motivates the engineer and support them in a way that feels realistic rather than theoretical.
They give upward feedback in a way that improves the team, not undermines it
Upward feedback is delicate, but highly effective when done well. Engineers who handle it skilfully focus on impact, not blame. They might say:
“Our priorities shift quite late; reviewing them earlier could help us avoid rework.”
or
“Urgent tasks sometimes arrive without context - could we define what ‘urgent’ means for us?”
These statements are not confrontational. They’re grounded, constructive and oriented toward smoother collaboration. Managers often respond well to this because it shows ownership and maturity - qualities that strengthen trust.
They follow through
A productive 1:1 isn’t defined by what gets discussed but by what happens next. Engineers who get lasting value out of these meetings tend to close the loop: they summarise agreements, bring back unresolved points, share progress and revisit goals naturally.
The follow-through is subtle, but it is often the difference between a conversation that fades and one that meaningfully shapes their work.
The takeaway
The technical side of engineering is essential, but how engineers think, communicate, align and grow determines how smoothly teams work and how confident individuals feel.
Used intentionally, a 1:1 becomes much more than a monthly meeting. It becomes a structured pause in a fast-moving environment: a moment to step back, correct course, surface nuance and keep development moving at a sustainable pace.
Ready to take the next step in your career?
If you’re looking for a place where this kind of thoughtful communication and steady growth is encouraged, check out our current job opportunities. We’re always glad to meet people who bring clarity, curiosity and care to their work.
