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.
Use it at work
Scheduling
- I have a skip-level with our director next week.
- Let's set up a skip-level every quarter.
Preparing
- What should I bring to my skip-level?
- I'll ask about team growth in the skip-level.
As a leader
- I'm doing skip-levels with everyone on the team.
- Skip-levels help me hear what's really going on.
Don't say this
Skip-level is a noun (a type of meeting), not a verb describing an action of bypassing someone.
Don't mix it up
| Term | What it is | Who writes or uses it | When |
|---|---|---|---|
| skip-level | Meeting with your manager's manager | Employee and senior leader | Quarterly |
| one-on-one | Regular talk with your manager | Manager and report | Weekly |
Practice
Try it
4 quick exercises
1. Your manager's manager wants to talk with you privately. How do you tell a colleague?
2. Our engineering director conducts _______ meetings with each team member quarterly to gather insights.
3. Which sentence uses skip-level incorrectly?
4. Rewrite this using skip-level: 'My manager's boss wants to meet with me alone to talk about my progress.'
Say it out loud
Phrase 1 of 3
"I have a skip-level with my director next Tuesday."
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More about skip-level
Real examples(3)
- in a standup
"I won't 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."
More mistakes(2)
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.
- ✕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(3)
- skip-level noun
"I scheduled my skip-level for Friday afternoon."
- skip-level noun (modifier)
"The skip-level meeting is a chance to align on priorities."
- skip-level manager noun
"My skip-level manager oversees three departments."
Often used with(5)
- skip-level meeting · The most common collocation; refers to the formal one-on-one conversation.
- skip-level manager · The person who is two levels above you in the organizational hierarchy.
- have a skip-level · Common verb phrase meaning to attend or conduct a skip-level meeting.
- schedule a skip-level · To plan and set up a skip-level meeting with an employee.
- skip-level feedback · Information gathered during skip-level meetings about team performance and culture.
Similar words(2)
- skip-level one-on-one · More explicit about the one-on-one nature of the meeting.
- upward feedback session · Less commonly used; emphasizes the communication flowing up the organization.
Opposites(2)
- direct report meeting
- direct manager check-in
Questions(5)
- 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.
