Priya S.
Sample Free and genuinely excellent
Better than paid workshops I have attended. The remote one on ones lesson was very relevant for my team.
Feedback and one on ones that help engineers grow
Run one on ones people value, give and receive clear feedback, and hold growth conversations that build trust on technical teams
Created by Samuel Mensah
- Updated August 2026
- English
- Intermediate
What you will learn
- Run one on ones with a shared agenda and a consistent structure
- Ask questions that surface real concerns and ideas
- Give specific feedback using the situation, behaviour, impact model
- Receive feedback without becoming defensive
- Hold career conversations that connect goals to real opportunities
- Handle difficult one on one moments with care
- Encourage peer feedback across the team
Course content
One on ones that build trust
Giving and receiving feedback
- Article: Why feedback gets avoided 8 min
- Article: The situation, behaviour, impact model 10 min
- Article: Positive feedback that is specific 7 min
- Article: Constructive feedback without damage 10 min
- Article: Receiving feedback well 8 min
Growth and career conversations
- Article: Understanding career goals 9 min
- Article: Stretch assignments 8 min
- Article: Coaching versus mentoring 8 min
- Article: Goals that actually move 8 min
- Article: Being honest about what you control 7 min
Hard moments
- Article: When someone is struggling personally 9 min
- Article: Conflict between teammates 9 min
- Article: When feedback is not landing 8 min
- Article: Remote and hybrid one on ones 8 min
Building a feedback culture
- Article: Skip level conversations 8 min
- Article: Peer feedback on the team 8 min
- Article: Feedback in code reviews 8 min
- Article: Checking that one on ones work 7 min
- Quiz: Final check 6 min
Requirements
- Some experience working on a technical team
Description
One on ones and feedback are the two most frequent tools a technical leader has, and the two most often done badly. One on ones drift into status updates. Feedback is saved up for performance reviews, where it arrives as an unpleasant surprise. This free course focuses on doing both well, week after week.
What the course covers
- What one on ones are for and a simple structure that keeps them useful
- Questions that open honest conversations rather than polite updates
- Notes and follow ups that show people you listened
- A clear model for giving positive and constructive feedback
- How to receive feedback, including about yourself
- Career and growth conversations that are honest about what you control
- Hard moments: personal struggles, team conflict and feedback that does not land
- Remote one on ones and peer feedback habits
Approach
Every lesson includes example phrasing you can adapt, plus common mistakes and how to recover from them. Examples come from software teams, but the skills apply to any technical group.
Who it is for
Engineering managers, tech leads and senior engineers who mentor others. It works as a companion to a broader management course, or on its own if you want to sharpen these specific skills. Engineers who want more useful one on ones with their own manager will also benefit, because the course shows what to ask for.
Who this course is for
- Engineering managers and tech leads
- Senior engineers who mentor others
- Engineers who want better one on ones with their own manager
Instructor
Samuel Mensah
Engineering manager teaching practical leadership for engineers who now lead people
- 4.4 instructor rating
- 22 reviews
- 8,440 students
- 3 courses
- Sample
I was a backend engineer for years before moving into engineering management, and I still remember how unprepared I felt in my first month. Since then I have managed teams, managed other managers and helped many engineers make the same transition.
I teach leadership as a set of learnable habits: one on ones, feedback, delegation, hiring loops, technical decision records and running a team rhythm that protects focus. I try to be specific. Instead of abstract principles you get scripts, agendas and templates, plus the reasoning behind them.
My courses are for new managers, tech leads and senior engineers who want to grow their influence without losing touch with the work.
Student reviews
Joanna P.
Sample My one on ones finally have a point
The shared agenda and starting with last week's actions changed everything. People bring real topics now.
Daniel O.
Sample Useful even as an engineer
I am not a manager, but I now know what to ask for in my own one on ones. My manager noticed.
Tariq H.
Sample SBI model is so simple
I give small feedback every week now instead of saving it for reviews. Much less stressful for everyone.
Mei W.
Sample Great question bank
The questions lesson alone is worth the time. Some felt awkward at first but worked well.
Laura K.
Sample Kind and practical
The hard moments section handled personal struggles with real care and clear limits.
Nils A.
Sample Overlaps with other courses
Good material, but if you have done a general management course, parts will feel familiar.
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