What does skip-level mean in software engineering?

In software engineering and tech companies, skip-level means a meeting between an employee and the manager of their manager. It skips over the direct manager in the organizational hierarchy. These meetings are a standard practice in many tech companies to maintain communication across multiple levels and to give employees direct access to senior leadership.

How do you use skip-level in a sentence at work?

You can say 'I have a skip-level meeting with my director next week' or 'My skip-level manager wants to discuss my career development.' You can also use it as an adjective: 'The skip-level process helps us stay aligned on company goals.'

Is skip-level formal or informal?

Skip-level is neutral in formality. While the term itself is straightforward and professional, skip-level meetings are often informal and conversational in nature. You can use the term in formal emails and casual conversations alike.

Who typically initiates skip-level meetings?

Usually, the skip-level manager (the person two levels up) initiates and schedules these meetings. However, employees can sometimes request skip-level meetings through proper channels if the culture supports it.

How often do skip-level meetings happen?

The frequency varies by company and manager, but common practices include monthly, quarterly, or bi-quarterly skip-level meetings. Some companies conduct them annually, while others make them ad-hoc as needed.

How to Say "skip-level" at Work

Commonness	4/5
Versatility	4/5
Formality	CasualFormalNeutral
Spoken ↔ Written	SpokenWrittenBoth
Directness ↔ Diplomatic	DirectDiplomaticDirect
Region	US and UK

Say it like this

✓I have a skip-level with my director next Tuesday.

✓My skip-level manager asked for some feedback on team productivity.

✓We use skip-levels to maintain communication across the organization.

Real examples

in a standup

"I will not be at tomorrow's meeting because I have a skip-level scheduled with the VP."

in an email

"I wanted to give you a heads-up that I will be doing skip-levels with your teams starting next month."

in a conversation

"During my skip-level, my director asked how I was feeling about the new project roadmap."

Don't say this

Handle with care. Do not confuse with 'skipping a level in a game' or 'skipping steps in a process'. Skip-level refers specifically to a meeting that bypasses one management tier.

✕I skipped-level my manager to talk to the VP.

✓I had a skip-level meeting with the VP.— Skip-level is a noun (a type of meeting), not a verb describing an action of bypassing someone.

✕The skip-level will discuss the code review process.

✓The skip-level meeting will discuss the code review process.— The term usually refers to the meeting itself, so including 'meeting' is more complete and natural.

✕I attended a skip-level about performance reviews.

✓I had a skip-level with my skip-level manager about performance reviews.— Skip-level specifically refers to the meeting with the manager two levels up, so clarifying 'with my skip-level manager' is more precise.

Other forms

noun

skip-level

"I scheduled my skip-level for Friday afternoon."

noun (modifier)

skip-level

"The skip-level meeting is a chance to align on priorities."

noun

skip-level manager

"My skip-level manager oversees three departments."

Often used with

skip-level meetingThe most common collocation; refers to the formal one-on-one conversation.

skip-level managerThe person who is two levels above you in the organizational hierarchy.

have a skip-levelCommon verb phrase meaning to attend or conduct a skip-level meeting.

schedule a skip-levelTo plan and set up a skip-level meeting with an employee.

skip-level feedbackInformation gathered during skip-level meetings about team performance and culture.

Similar words

skip-level one-on-oneMore explicit about the one-on-one nature of the meeting.

upward feedback sessionLess commonly used; emphasizes the communication flowing up the organization.

Opposites

direct report meetingdirect manager check-in

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Practice

Try it

4 quick exercises

Pick the most natural phrasing

1. Your manager's manager wants to talk with you privately. How do you tell a colleague?

I have a skip-level scheduled.I need to skip-level my manager.I am skipping a level in the company.I will bypass my manager.

Complete the sentence

2. Our engineering director conducts _______ meetings with each team member quarterly to gather insights.

Spot the mistake

3. Which sentence uses skip-level incorrectly?

I am meeting with my skip-level manager next week.The skip-level meeting helped me understand the company direction.We skipped-leveled the entire team yesterday.I appreciate the time my skip-level manager invests in our one-on-ones.

Rewrite naturally

4. Rewrite this using skip-level: 'My manager's boss wants to meet with me alone to talk about my progress.'

Questions

Quick poll

Have you said "skip-level" in a standup this week?

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