Daily Reading from November 05, 2009

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Assumptions and project planning (Feb 18)

When your assumptions change, it's reasonable that your project plans and needs change as well. But too many managers are afraid to go back and re-work a plan that they've already agreed to.

Feature voting is harmful to your product (Feb 7)

There's a lot of problems with using feature voting to drive your product.

Encouraging 1:1s from other managers in your organization (Jan 4)

If you’re managing other managers, encourage them to hold their own 1:1s. It’s such an important tool for managing and leading that everyone needs to be holding them.

One on One Meetings - a collection of posts about 1:1s (Jan 2)

A collection of all my writing on 1:1s

Are 1:1s confidential? (Jan 2)

Is the discussion that occurs in a 1:1 confidential, even if no agreed in the meeting to keep it so?

Skip-level 1:1s are your hidden superpower (Jan 1)

Holding 1:1s with peers and with people far below you on the reporting chain will open your eyes up to what’s really going on in your business.

Do you need a 1:1 if you’re regularly communicating with your team? (Dec 28)

You’re simply not having deep meaningful conversation about the process of work in hallway conversations or in your chat apps.

What agenda items should a manager bring to a 1:1? (Dec 23)

At least 80% of a 1:1 agenda should be driven by your report, but if you also to use this time to work on things with them, then you’ll have better meetings.