How to Run a Skip-Level: A Practical Guide for Engineering Managers

Published on May 23, 2026

Skip-level meetings are powerful—but mishandled they create mistrust and confusion.

A skip-level is a chance to hear directly from your team's reports without the manager in the room. That means you must be intentional: create psychological safety, set clear objectives, and follow up visibly.

1. Set the expectation with the manager first

Speak with the direct manager before scheduling. Make sure they understand the goal and can prepare the person for the meeting.

2. Keep the meeting focused and short

Use a tight agenda: purpose, two topics from the report, and a single action item. Aim for 20–30 minutes.

3. Use structure to build trust

Start by stating the purpose, then ask open questions that surface blockers and team dynamics. Avoid surprises.

4. Capture and share action items

Log results immediately. Accordia's visual builder makes it easy to capture action items and surface them to the manager so nothing falls through the cracks.

5. Follow up publicly with the manager

After the skip-level, summarize outcomes with the manager and create follow-ups. This turns the skip-level into constructive change, not gossip.

How Accordia helps

Accordia's low-prep templates and Slideshow Mode make skip-levels easy to run without derailing your calendar. Build a short agenda, capture the action items, and ensure they are tracked.