You're two levels removed from the people doing the work, and by the time their feedback reaches you, it has been summarized, softened, and stripped of the details that actually matter. A skip-level meeting fixes that: it's a one-on-one between you and an employee who reports to one of your direct reports, without their manager in the room. Run well, it surfaces honest feedback and gives you an early warning system for problems that won't show up in performance reviews until it's too late. Run poorly, it breeds suspicion and wastes everyone's time.
What is the recommended listen-to-talk ratio for a skip-level meeting?
Select one answer.
What a skip-level meeting is (and isn't)
A skip-level meeting is a structured one-on-one between a manager and a staff person they don't manage directly, usually the direct report of someone you manage. It is not a performance review, a chance to undermine your managers, or a casual chat with no purpose. The goal is to build trust, gather unfiltered insight, and align teams around shared goals.
Prepare before you schedule
Preparation determines success. A clear agenda, a defined purpose, and advanced communication with both the employee and the skipped manager prevent confusion and build trust.
- Define your goal. Are you gathering feedback on culture, checking on workload, or testing whether strategy is landing? Write it down.
- Tell the skipped manager first. Share your intent and get buy-in so they don't feel bypassed. A short note explaining the purpose and the questions you'll ask works well.
- Pick the right people. Start with a few individual contributors across teams, not just high performers.
- Set the frame. Tell the employee it's a conversation, not an evaluation, and that you want their honest view.
Ask open-ended questions
The best skip-level questions are open-ended. Ask about current challenges, team processes, career goals, and ideas for improvement rather than yes-or-no questions. Useful prompts include:
- What are the challenges or roadblocks your team is facing right now?
- Do you feel the workload required of your team is appropriate, insufficient, or excessive?
- What could I be doing better to outline the vision and direction for where we're headed?
- When have you felt most proud about being part of this team in the past year?
- What's one thing you'd change about how we work if you could?
Listen more than you talk
Aim for an 80/20 listen-to-talk ratio. Listen intently and let the individual drive the conversation to the topics they want to discuss. Take notes, resist defending, and don't promise things you can't deliver. If you hear something about a manager, resist the urge to react in the moment; gather more data first.
Close the loop
Follow-up is what separates a productive meeting from a performative one. Summarize action items, share relevant outcomes with the direct manager, and track progress before the next session. If you can't act on something, say so and explain why. Silence after a skip-level erodes trust faster than not holding one at all.
Set a cadence
Skip-level meetings should be conducted at least once annually, and more frequently at your discretion. Many leaders run them quarterly with a rotating subset of employees so no one feels singled out. Whatever cadence you choose, keep it consistent and protect the time.
Common pitfalls to avoid
- Going around the manager. If you act on feedback without telling the manager, you damage the relationship you need to fix the problem.
- Turning it into a gripe session. Keep the focus on work, process, and growth.
- Asking leading questions. "You're happy with your manager, right?" gets you nothing.
- Skipping documentation. Without notes, patterns across conversations are invisible.
A quick checklist
- Define the goal and write three to five open-ended questions.
- Notify the skipped manager and get buy-in.
- Schedule 30–60 minutes with each selected employee.
- Open by explaining the purpose and the confidentiality you can offer.
- Listen 80% of the time; take notes.
- Summarize actions within a week and share relevant outcomes with the manager.
- Track themes across meetings and revisit them next quarter.
How the Featured Expert Can Help
Dana R. Gordon leads DR Gordon Consulting, a boutique practice offering leadership development and executive coaching to organizations across industries. The practice provides personalized, consultant-led support for leaders who want to build stronger teams and improve how they communicate. You can learn more at drgordonconsulting.com.
Quiz: Test your skip-level knowledge
Before you schedule your first skip-level, check your understanding of the core practice.
What is the recommended listen-to-talk ratio for a skip-level meeting?
- A) 50/50
- B) 80/20 listening to talking
- C) 20/80 listening to talking
Answer: B. Yale IT guidance recommends aiming for an 80/20 listen-to-talk ratio so the employee drives the conversation.