{"id":6537,"date":"2020-02-21T17:18:20","date_gmt":"2020-02-21T22:18:20","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.managementcenter.org\/?post_type=resources&p=6537"},"modified":"2025-07-18T23:00:16","modified_gmt":"2025-07-18T23:00:16","slug":"skip-level-meeting-toolkit","status":"publish","type":"resources","link":"https:\/\/www.managementcenter.org\/resources\/skip-level-meeting-toolkit\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Use Skip-Level Meetings Effectively"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

A skip-level meeting<\/strong> is one of the most effective ways for senior leaders to build trust, strengthen relationships, and gain valuable insights from employees who don\u2019t report to them directly. <\/strong>These meetings offer an opportunity to break down communication barriers, gather honest feedback, and align teams around shared goals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But preparing for a skip-level meeting\u2014whether you’re a manager or a staff member\u2014requires more than just showing up. It means setting clear expectations, asking the right questions,<\/strong> and following up on next steps.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In this guide, we share advice on how to conduct a skip-level meeting<\/strong> that fosters open communication, drives engagement, and helps you avoid common pitfalls. This resource will equip you with actionable strategies to make every skip-level meeting a success, from how to build a strong agenda <\/strong>to the best questions to ask your skip-level employee.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Empower your team members to thrive<\/em><\/strong>. Enroll in our <\/em>Building a Healthy Team Culture<\/a> training today! Gain the confidence, strategies, and hands-on experience you need to cultivate your team\u2019s potential and drive impact at the same time. Learn how to receive feedback, foster belonging, build psychological safety, and create an action plan you can implement right away.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

What is a Skip-Level Meeting?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

A skip-level meeting is a structured one-on-one meeting between a manager and a staff person that they don\u2019t manage directly. In most small- or mid-sized organizations, these are typically meetings with the direct report(s) of the people that you manage. In larger organizations, there might be multiple layers between you and the staff person. (From now on, we\u2019re going to refer to the manager that you manage as \u201cthe manager\u201d and the person they manage as \u201cthe staff person.\u201d)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Assuming that your organization has a traditional, hierarchical structure, if you manage managers, you probably have positional power. You may also have other types of power and privilege relative to the staff person, and having this feedback meeting with your staff can help you gain new perspectives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Skip-level meetings are a way to leverage the power you have to build trust, invite more diverse perspectives, be more strategic and accountable in your<\/strong> decision-making.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why Are Skip-Level Meetings Important?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Skip-level meetings benefit everyone\u2014leaders, managers, and staff. They help you:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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  1. Build relationships<\/a> with team members who don\u2019t directly report to you.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. Gain valuable insight into your team and organization.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  3. Get feedback about the managers that you manage (or about your own leadership!).<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  4. Increase employee engagement and retention.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  5. Identify \u201crising stars\u201d among your staff.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    How to Prepare for a Skip-Level Meeting<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    Preparation is key for impactful and productive skip-level meetings. <\/strong>Here’s how you can prepare:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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    1. Communicate intent: <\/strong>Share the meeting’s purpose and goal\u2014building relationships, gathering insights, and fostering transparency. You can start with an email (see samples on this resource<\/a>).\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    2. Share sample questions: <\/strong>Share some of the questions you might ask so that the staff person can prepare.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    3. Familiarize yourself with their work:<\/strong> Refresh yourself on their role expectations, key projects, and goals.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

      How to Conduct a Skip-Level Meeting<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

      You should always tailor a meeting agenda to your context and relationship, but there are a few basic components for every skip-level.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Set the tone<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

      Meeting with your boss\u2019s boss can feel like being called into the principal\u2019s office. Alleviate anxiety and dispel assumptions by sharing the purpose of the meeting. If it\u2019s your first skip-level with this person, share why you do skip-level meetings<\/a>. Be clear about what you\u2019re not<\/em> looking to get out of it (such as decision-making or problem-solving). Share how you will use the information they share in the meeting<\/strong> (including who else, if anyone, you\u2019ll share it with). Your goal is to help the staff person feel at ease.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Build rapport and connect<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

      Get curious and deepen your personal connection. You don\u2019t need to learn their life story, but try to better understand where they come from and what motivates them<\/strong>. If you have praise to share, do it!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Invite their insight and feedback<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

      For many of you, this is where you might spend most of your meeting time. Get their perspective on how things are going at the organization. <\/strong>Ask them to share feedback about how they\u2019re being managed<\/strong>. Unless you\u2019re asked for an explanation or problem-solving support, stay in listening mode.<\/strong> It can take a lot of courage to\u00a0 raise concerns, so if they do,\u00a0 appreciate them for their honesty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Open it up<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

      Ask if there\u2019s anything else they\u2019d like to discuss. Create space for them to share concerns, questions, suggestions, or personal experiences.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Wrap up with appreciation<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

      Thank them for their time and\u2014if necessary\u2014share your next steps and how you plan to use the information. If they raised concerns about their manager, encourage them to address those issues directly if it makes sense to do so. Lastly, appreciate them for their contributions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Sample Skip-Level Meeting Questions For Managers<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
      Purpose<\/th>Sample Questions<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
      Building connection\/rapport<\/td>What brought you to this role\/team\/organization?

      What\u2019s your favorite thing about _____ (your job\/the city\/being a parent\/the place that you\u2019re from)?

      What\u2019s something new you\u2019ve been doing outside of work?

      What\u2019s something that has inspired you recently?<\/td><\/tr>
      Information\/feedback gathering on manager<\/td>What\u2019s the best part of working with your manager? What’s the hardest part?<\/span>

      What do you wish your manager would do more or less of?<\/span>

      What\u2019s a recent situation that you wish your manager had handled differently?<\/span>

      How effectively do you feel your manager is at managing you\u2014providing support, holding you accountable, and building a relationship with you?<\/span>

      How effectively do you feel your manager navigates lines of power and difference?<\/span><\/td><\/tr>
      Information\/feedback gathering on organization<\/td>If you could fix any process, what would it be and why?<\/span>

      Which organizational value do you think we\u2019re upholding every day? Which one do you think we need to get better at?<\/span>

      What\u2019s something about our organizational culture that you love? What\u2019s something you don’t love?<\/span>

      If you were in charge, what\u2019s one thing you would do differently?<\/span>

      When in the last year have you felt disappointed or concerned about a leadership decision?<\/span>

      What\u2019s something you\u2019ve observed in your role that you think I might not see in my position?<\/span><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

      Tips for Implementing Skip-Level Meetings<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

      Meet with everyone<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

      This is a prix fixe menu, not an a la carte\u2014it\u2019s not fair to meet with only some skip-level team members. If you can\u2019t meet with everyone in a time period, remember that this is a choice point<\/a>. Think about the most equitable choice you can make.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Don\u2019t hide the ball<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

      Tell your managers that you manage that you\u2019ll be meeting with their direct reports. Tell the staff members why you will be meeting with them and what they can expect (see our template emails<\/a>).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Aim for meeting twice a year with each person<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

      If you only have a handful of people to meet with, consider doing skip-levels quarterly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Schedule 15 minutes after each meeting<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

      Take time to synthesize the conversation, capture trends, and decide on next steps.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Common Mistakes to Avoid in Skip-Level Meetings<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

      To ensure skip-level meetings are productive and build trust, avoid these common pitfalls:<\/p>\n\n\n\n