The Art of the (Deal) 1 to 1 - Beyond the Status Update. Mastering the 1 to 1 Meeting

Send us Fan MailIn this episode of The Agile Engineering Deep Dive, Alessandro Guida explores why recurring 1 to 1s are one of the most important - and most misunderstood - practices in engineering leadership.While most managers agree that 1 to 1s matter, they often drift into polite status meetings focused on tasks, tickets, and delivery details. This may feel efficient, but it frequently leaves motivation, growth, and trust unspoken.This episode reflects on a simple, experience-based way of structuring 1 to 1s around four human dimensions to  motivation, achievement, power, and belonging. Not as an HR model or framework, but as a practical approach shaped by years of leadership and thousands of conversations.The goal is not to turn 1 to 1s into performance reviews or therapy sessions, but to show how consistent, well-structured conversations help small issues surface early, build trust over time, and support long-term team health.Please subscribe to this podcast. It’s the best way to support it.If you’re interested in the original article behind this episode, make sure to subscribe to the Agile Software Engineering newsletter. Support the showThis Podcast is an audio version of the written Agile Software Engineering newsletter.  If you want to go deeper, don't forget to subscribe the newsletter too.