What is a Skip-Level Meeting?
To put it simply, a skip-level meeting is a gathering of a CEO or a higher up manager and employees who are more than one step down the chain of command. It’s when upper-level managers bypass mid-level managers and talk directly to non-managerial employees.
A skip-level meeting can be a simple and quick conversation in which employees are asked how they feel about working for the company. Or, the meeting can cover any other of the following topics:
- Ideas for possible new campaigns, products or initiatives;
- How to improve the everyday working environment;
- How do the employees feel about the company goals and their team;
- Vision and priorities;
The goal of skip-level meetings is to provide a safe and productive environment for a fruitful conversation between higher-level employees and lower-level employees. A skip-level meeting builds a bridge between The Boss and the worker which creates a comfortable working space where everyone feels heard and cherished.
What is the Difference Between a Skip-Level Meeting and a Regular Company Meeting?
The main difference between a skip-level meeting and a normal meeting with a manager is that the regular meeting usually consists of technical or organizational updates and things like employee productivity are being discussed. During a skip-level meeting, however, employees are given the opportunity to voice their concerns and feelings about different things happening in the company. Another difference is that conducting skip-level meetings increases transparency throughout the organization as a whole. Regular meetings are for updates, new assignments and stating new rules or changes. Skip-level meetings are for voicing opinions and enhancing loyalty, transparency and dedication.
What are the benefits of a skip-level meeting?
By now, you’ve probably understood some of the benefits of running a skip-level meeting. As mentioned above, they provide a safe and encouraging environment for low-level employees to share their beliefs and feelings about the company. Some other advantages of these meetings include:
- Employers and employees can interact with each other and get to know each other in a better way.
- Skip-level meetings are especially effective when moving into a leadership role in a new company.
- Leaders and managers will make judgement calls and decide what to change and what to keep the same after hearing what their employees think.
- Increased company transparency.
- Open environment is created where ideas and innovation are welcomed.
- Increased employee engagement.
- As employees will feel valued and included, they are more likely to be loyal and not leave for another company.
- A universal understanding of your company and its goals, vision and priorities is created.
- They can result in high-performing teams with low levels of employee burnout and stress.
Questions for Skip-Level Meeting
Here are some good skip-level meeting questions for your next gathering with company employees.
- How do you feel about working for our company?
- How do you feel about your job lately?
- What are some of your recent accomplishments you’re most proud of?
- How do you measure your employee productivity levels?
- Is there any tool you believe would be helpful for your current role?
- Is there anything or anyone you think might be blocking you from being even more successful at your role than you already are?
- Do you have any ideas for innovation in your team or in the company?
- Is there anyone in the company you would like to learn more from?
- What is one thing you think might help improve the performance of your team?
- If you were the CEO, what’s going to be the first thing you would change?
- Do you manage to achieve work-life balance? Do you feel overwhelmed with work recently?
- Is there anyone from the team you believe deserves a shout-out?
- What are your professional goals for the upcoming year?
- Do you have any questions that you would like to ask?
Skip-Level Meeting Agenda
- Define the Purpose
If you’re a manager or a CEO, you have to be well-aware of the primary purpose of the skip-level meeting agenda. You’re trying to get an honest assessment from your company members at all levels and determine the organization’s effectiveness. Define the purpose of the skip-level meeting beforehand. Is it to determine managerial effectiveness, fix organizational issues or it’s going to be a simple organizational alignment meeting?
Once you’ve collected data from the meeting, you will be able to draw meaningful conclusions about day to day operations and remove any blocks affecting the performance of the employees.
Run these meetings with an open mind and try to create an environment in which everyone can freely and without fear express their thoughts and opinions. Once you’ve built that mindset and fully embraced the purpose of such meetings, you will see how your employees will respond with trust and confidence in your and your company.
2. Anonymity
At the beginning of every skip-level meeting, make sure all employees know that they will remain anonymous. The reason why you have to do this is because you want employees to speak freely, without fear of retribution. This is especially valid when senior leaders want to learn more about the performance of mid-level managers. Put the team members at ease by ensuring that none of them will face any backlashes if they speak their mind, even if they have to say something negative. By ensuring their anonymity, you can get the full benefits of skip level meetings.
3. Plan
Just like you plan ahead and prepare in order to conduct effective business meetings, you have to do the same for skip-level meetings. Skip-level meetings require advanced planning in order to get the most out of them.
Take time to think carefully and plan accordingly. How do you envision your skip-level meetings? What are going to be the questions you will ask your team members? What is the goal of the meeting? Is it to determine the effectiveness of mid-level management or discuss organizational issues? Keep in mind that you can’t cover everything in one skip-level meeting. Outline your questions based on the purpose of the meeting and the area that you want to focus on.
Employees should also be ready with skip-level meeting questions. The better prepared both sides are for the meeting, the more effective the outcomes will be.
Remember to also provide a skip-level meeting agenda before the meeting. This way, you will allow everyone to come prepared, be aware of the true purpose behind the meeting and feel less nervous about meeting the boss of their boss.
4. Manage Risk
A skip-level meeting is not a witch hunt against mid-level managers. Their purpose is for senior managers to get a better understanding of their company and give a chance to every employee to speak their mind.
You have to keep the outcomes of the skip-level meeting risk low for both mid-managers and employees. This way, everyone can contribute to the process and be as honest as possible.
Tips to Get the Most Out of Your Next Skip-Level Meeting:
For senior managers:
A skip-level meeting is not a mid-level manager feedback session. Their purpose is not to spy on managers and their team. Their purpose is to connect with employees of all levels and determine if there’s anything you have to change within your organization.
Skip-level meetings are an opportunity for you to gather useful information straight from the front-line. Foster an environment of comfort and transparency. Yes, some team members might not be ready to share honest opinions and thoughts during the first meeting. However, if you insist on running skip-level meetings regularly, you will notice how everyone will start feeling more vulnerable with you.
For employees:
It’s your time to shine so use it wisely. You’re given the opportunity to talk to a leader, a CEO or a high-level executive you might not have access to otherwise. So, you have to prepare accordingly. Think of your journey at the company so far and what are your goals, dreams and ambitions for your future at this company.
What do you want your leader to know about you personally and professionally? Craft unique questions so you can learn more about the business and leave a good impression.
After the Skip-Level Meeting:
After the meeting has finished, you can share a follow-up email with the attendees and also the manager. Thank everyone for their time and point out a couple of things that you will take action on.
If you’re going to conduct a skip-level meeting without taking any action based on the information you learn, you are just wasting everyone’s precious time. Be ready to hear both positive and negative statements and act on them professionally.
Hold skip-levels at least once a quarter to secure good results. Also, you have to be transparent with the mid-level managers and treat them with respect regardless of the actions you plan on taking after gathering insights from the meetings.
Tools to Facilitate a Skip-Level Meeting
Skip-level meetings are a great way to get to know every person working for your company and get truthful insights about your company. However, they are time-consuming and may turn into an unproductive waste of everyone’s time. That is especially true if you plan on running a skip-level meeting online.
To secure the productivity and efficiency of your skip-levels, I advise you to consider implementing a tool like Mombit.
Mombit is a meeting management tool designed to boost meeting productivity, attend and facilitate as many meetings as you want and easily keep track of action items. With built-in meeting minutes, you can easily take notes and manage the agenda of the meeting.
Below, check out how Mombit works:
