Meetings often get a bad reputation—too many, too long, and often unproductive. But when done right, meetings can be the glue that holds a team together, especially when managing across multiple time zones and cultures.
As a manager of a global quality engineering team, I’ve found that four core types of meetings create the right balance of alignment, growth, and engagement.
1. 1:1s – The Most Important Meeting
Frequency: Every two weeks
Purpose: Supporting and developing your team
1:1s are not about status updates—they’re about the person. This is the time to focus on their growth, challenges, and well-being. In my experience, a great 1:1 has three key principles:
1. It’s the team member’s meeting. They set the agenda, and I follow their lead. My job is to listen, ask good questions, and provide support where needed.
2. It’s about the long game. While we may discuss short-term blockers, the real value comes from career development, skill-building, and personal growth.
3. It’s a conversation, not a checklist. The best 1:1s feel natural, not like an interrogation. Some of my favorite questions include:
• What’s going well? What’s frustrating you?
• How do you feel about your workload?
• What skills or experiences do you want to develop?
• How can I better support you?
A well-run 1:1 builds trust, which makes everything else—collaboration, feedback, retention—better. If you want a deeper dive into my approach, check out my blog on the topic: Thoughts on 1:1s.
2. Status Meetings – Keeping Everyone in Sync
Frequency: Every two weeks
Purpose: Aligning on work priorities
While 1:1s focus on the individual, status meetings focus on the team. This is where we sync on past progress, upcoming priorities, and potential blockers. These meetings aren’t about micromanagement—they’re about clarity. To keep them efficient:
• Keep updates short and focused (What did you work on? What’s next? Any blockers?).
• Encourage discussion on cross-team dependencies
• End with clear action items
Done right, a good status meeting reduces the need for constant check-ins and keeps everyone aligned.
3. Learning Sessions – Growing Together
Frequency: Every two weeks
Purpose: Peer learning and skill development
A great team doesn’t just execute—it evolves. Learning sessions create space for knowledge sharing, whether it’s a deep dive into a testing strategy, a new automation tool, more progressive approaches to quality or lessons learned from a past project. These sessions:
• Empower team members to teach and lead, which is also a growth opportunity
• Encourage continuous learning without formal training costs
• Fosters collaboration
Rotating presenters and keeping topics relevant ensures engagement and value for everyone involved.
4. Fun Meetings – Building Connections Beyond Work
Frequency: Every two weeks
Purpose: Strengthening team relationships
When working across continents, the risk of feeling disconnected is real. Fun meetings help bridge that gap by creating a space for casual, non-work interactions. These can be:
• Virtual quizzes or games
• Icebreaker questions (e.g., “What’s the best book you’ve read recently?”)
• Show-and-tell sessions (hobbies, travel stories, etc.)
These aren’t just “nice to have”—they improve collaboration, morale, and retention. People work better together when they genuinely enjoy each other’s company.
Final Thoughts: Meetings Done Right
Meetings aren’t the enemy; ineffective meetings are. By focusing on development, alignment, learning, and connection, managers can create a meeting structure that supports both people and performance. If a meeting doesn’t serve one of these four purposes, reconsider if it’s needed at all.
So, are your meetings helping or hurting your team? A little structure can go a long way in making every conversation count.
Usage of AI: For this blog I used ChatGTP to help with grammar, spelling and structure.
Also used ChatGTP image generator for the blog image.
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