Raymond is about 6 months into his first full-time engineering role. He’s eager to do well but unsure what growth looks like beyond finishing tasks.

You’re in a 1:1 where he casually mentioned wanting to 'level up' — but didn’t know where to start.

Helping a Junior Engineer Think About Growth

Jules has been a steady mid-level engineer for over a year. They’ve hinted at wanting to grow but seem unsure of what’s missing — and recently mentioned feeling stuck.

You’ve invited Jules to talk more openly about their career goals in this 1:1, hoping to break the stagnation pattern.

Unsticking a Mid-Level Engineer Who Feels Stalled

Noah has been a respected senior IC for years, but recently he’s expressed frustration about not being considered for staff-level opportunities. He feels invisible and questions whether the company values him.

Noah brought this up in a prior 1:1. Now you're diving deeper to help shift it from resentment to progress.

Facing Career Frustration With a Senior Engineer

Nina joined the team a few weeks ago. She’s been getting up to speed, and things seem to be going okay — but you want to check in and build rapport.

This is a regular 1:1 early in Nina’s tenure. No red flags — just a chance to connect and offer support.

Light Check-In With a New Team Member

Alex usually gets the work done but isn’t one to share much in meetings or 1:1s. Lately, he’s been quieter and less engaged. Nothing serious is broken, but you're wondering if something’s up.

This is a mid-sprint 1:1. You’ve noticed a subtle shift in behavior and want to check in without making it a ‘big deal.’

Checking In on Morale With a Quiet Mid-Level Engineer

Priya has been with the company for years and was once highly engaged. Lately, she’s been distant — less vocal in meetings, slower to respond in chats, and declining opportunities to mentor or lead.

You’ve noticed a long-term shift and are using this 1:1 to address it directly. You’re unsure if it’s burnout, disengagement, or something else — but it’s clearly affecting morale and leadership.

Re-Engaging a Senior Engineer Who’s Disconnected

Isabel is a bright, enthusiastic new hire — but her written updates are vague and her async handoffs cause confusion. She means well but hasn’t built strong communication habits yet.

You’re in a regular 1:1 and want to bring up the need for clearer updates and more context in her messages.

Giving Early Feedback on Communication Habits

Tasha is a skilled engineer, but lately she’s been responding with sarcasm in code reviews and venting in group chats. It’s affecting team dynamics and trust.

You’re bringing this up in a 1:1 after hearing from multiple teammates and observing patterns yourself.

Addressing Passive-Aggressive Behavior in a Mid-Level Engineer

Renee is technically sharp and highly respected — but she’s been dismissive in discussions, cuts people off, and overrules decisions without alignment. It’s starting to damage morale and psychological safety.

You’ve received consistent feedback and witnessed the behavior yourself. This conversation is about protecting team culture — not just fixing one incident.

Calling In a Senior Engineer With Undermining Behaviors

Dina is from another engineering team that depends on your API. A recent refactor caused issues on their side, and she’s unclear why it happened or why she wasn’t looped in.

Dina pinged you after her service broke during integration testing. You’re hopping on a call to clear the air and prevent future surprises.

Resolving a Simple Miscommunication With Another Team

Omar leads a sibling team that integrates tightly with yours. There have been repeated misalignments, unclear ownership, and last-minute changes — and tension is building.

You’ve scheduled a sync with Omar after another miscommunication slowed down delivery. This isn’t personal — but it’s becoming a pattern.

Resolving Ongoing Friction With a Parallel Engineering Team

Linda leads a foundational team whose design choices are blocking your team’s progress. You've voiced concerns before, but she’s doubling down on the approach. The tension is slowing delivery and frustrating your team.

You’ve set up a 1:1 to talk directly before involving leadership. You want to avoid turf battles — but you need movement soon.

Escalating a Technical Disagreement That’s Blocking Progress

Zoe is a new PM who’s proposed a feature idea, but the user problem isn’t well defined. You’re not sure what the goal is — or how the team will measure success.

Zoe brought up a new feature during planning, but it feels vague. You’re hoping to clarify the value and rationale without shooting it down.

Clarifying Feature Intentions With a New PM

Marcus is a seasoned PM who’s driving a roadmap focused on features that feel disconnected from what the team values or what users need. The engineers feel misaligned, but Marcus seems confident in the direction.

You’re in a roadmap sync. You need to challenge direction without sounding adversarial or dismissive.

Challenging Misaligned Product Priorities

Rohan is a senior PM pushing a roadmap with significant engineering tradeoffs. The team has voiced concerns, but he’s moving ahead anyway. You need to step in before morale and quality are impacted.

You’ve seen the team grow frustrated. This conversation is about protecting alignment, trust, and long-term sustainability — even if it means surfacing escalation.

Escalating Strategic Misalignment With a Senior PM

Melissa is a supportive PM who’s asking if the team can ‘just get something basic shipped’ this week. It’s well-intended, but you’re not sure if it fits your understanding of the requirements or timeline.

Melissa just pinged you asking if the core flow can be delivered by end of week. You’re pretty sure that’s risky. She’s friendly and collaborative, but optimistic.

Clarifying Delivery Expectations With a Friendly PM

Daniel is results-driven and well-prepared. He’s asking you to cut corners or pull in delivery to meet a key milestone. You believe doing so could create long-term risk, but want to stay collaborative.

Daniel has asked if the team can hit a near-term delivery deadline by trimming tests and skipping polish. You’re not comfortable with the tradeoff.

Pushing Back on Compressed Timelines With a Confident PM

Riya is a senior product exec who’s pushing hard for an early release to meet investor commitments. She’s asking your team to cut process and ship now. You’re concerned it’ll create burnout or technical debt.

You’ve been pulled into a conversation with Riya and your lead. This is a high-pressure ask, and your team is already stretched. You need to speak up — without alienating a senior stakeholder.

Holding the Line Under High-Stakes Delivery Pressure

Isabelle joined a few months ago and has been doing well in her current role. She asks to talk during your next 1:1 about her interest in trying frontend work or product thinking — but she’s not sure where to start.

You’re in a regular 1:1. Isabelle says, 'I’ve been thinking a lot about what I want to grow toward… maybe frontend or even product work eventually? I don’t really know what’s realistic.'

Exploring Career Interests With a Curious Junior Engineer

Daniel has been consistent and reliable, but recently mentioned feeling unsure about his growth. He’s not pushing for promotion, just unclear what comes next — and whether he's on the right path.

During a 1:1, Daniel says: 'I feel like I’ve been delivering, but I’m not sure what I’m aiming toward anymore — or how to even figure that out.'

Clarifying Growth Paths With a Mid-Level Engineer

Nina is high-performing and ready for more—but what she wants (a lead role or large architecture scope) doesn’t currently align with team needs. She brings it up in a 1:1 and clearly wants movement.

You’re in a 1:1. Nina says, 'I’m ready for more responsibility — but I don’t see the opportunities here lining up fast enough.'

Navigating Misaligned Growth Expectations With a Senior Engineer

A technically strong but arrogant engineer who believes delivering features alone guarantees a promotion, often ignoring collaboration and team dynamics.

An engineer on your team has demanded a promotion to senior engineer, citing technical output but ignoring team feedback and leadership qualities.

Responding to a Promotion Request — Arrogant Engineer

A talented but impatient junior engineer who feels ready for the next step, though their technical depth and broader impact still need growth.

A junior engineer on your team wants to be promoted to mid-level, but your evaluation suggests they’re not ready yet.

Responding to a Promotion Request That’s Premature

An enthusiastic junior engineer who is eager to learn and receptive to feedback, but still needs to develop more technical depth and project ownership.

An enthusiastic junior engineer on your team is eager to move to mid-level but still has key areas to grow before being ready.

Responding to a Promotion Request — Easygoing Engineer

Tariq joined recently and expected to focus on backend systems — but he’s been mostly assigned frontend tickets. He hasn’t raised concerns until now, but it’s clear he’s unsure if this is what he signed up for.

In your 1:1, Tariq says: 'I’m happy to help out, but I thought I’d be doing more backend — is this how it’ll stay long-term?'

Clarifying Responsibilities With a New Hire Who’s Confused About Their Role

Jared is a capable mid-level engineer who joined hoping to focus on backend infrastructure. But most of his work has been feature delivery and UI. He’s feeling frustrated and is unsure if this role still makes sense.

In a 1:1, Jared says: 'To be honest, this isn’t really the kind of work I signed up for. I’m trying to grow in systems and infra — and I’m not sure that’s going to happen here.'

Navigating Role Frustration With a Mid-Level Engineer

Beatriz has been taking on more responsibility—mentoring, cross-team support, and leading delivery—but feels her title and scope don’t reflect it. She’s now asking directly for a title change or new role.

In your 1:1, Beatriz says: 'I’ve been doing work that looks like staff-level impact. I’d like to talk about formalizing that — or understanding what’s missing.'

Handling a Senior Engineer’s Request for a Title or Scope Change

Sofia is early in her career and has been working hard, but recently she’s been quiet in meetings, slow on tasks, and disconnected from the team. You suspect early signs of burnout or disengagement.

You’re having a regular 1:1 but want to gently surface concern about Sofia’s energy and engagement.

Checking In on a Quiet, Overwhelmed Junior Engineer

Dylan has been a consistent performer for the past year, but recently he's been missing meetings, delivering late, and sounding disengaged. He hasn’t said anything directly, but you’re seeing the signs.

You're having a 1:1 after noticing this pattern over the past two sprints. You want to be clear you're noticing something while still being empathetic.

Checking In on a Mid-Level Engineer Showing Signs of Burnout

Neha is a high-performing, long-tenured engineer who’s taken on major delivery work and mentoring. Lately, she’s become irritable, withdrawn, and showing signs of burnout — though she hasn’t admitted anything’s wrong.

You’ve seen increasing emotional volatility and signs of disengagement. This isn’t just a check-in — it’s a critical moment to intervene before Neha burns out or quits.

Addressing Burnout in a High-Performing Senior Engineer

Emily is a junior engineer who recently clashed with a teammate over task boundaries. She’s frustrated and feels like her work is being stepped on — but also doesn’t want to cause drama.

You noticed tension between Emily and another engineer in standup. You’ve asked to chat privately to understand what’s going on and help mediate.

Helping Resolve Tension Between Junior Engineers

Marcus is a capable engineer who’s clashing with another peer over ownership and decisions. He’s frustrated and increasingly vocal, and the tension is affecting delivery and team morale.

Marcus has requested a 1:1 to talk about ongoing friction. He’s feeling unheard and irritated, and may be ready to escalate.

Navigating Friction Between Mid-Level Engineers

Tariq is a respected senior engineer who’s clashing with another senior over technical direction. The conflict has escalated into sarcasm in meetings, slow reviews, and team discomfort.

Tariq requested this 1:1 to voice concerns — but you’ve also heard complaints from others about the tension. This conversation is a crucial opportunity to defuse and realign.

Mediating Conflict Between Senior Engineers

Lena is usually upbeat and reliable but has been quieter and less focused lately. She hasn’t said anything directly, but something seems off.

You’re in a regular 1:1 and want to create space in case Lena wants to open up — but you’re unsure what’s going on.

Checking In on a Distracted Junior Engineer

Eli is a dependable engineer, but recently he’s been missing standups, slow to respond, and making uncharacteristic mistakes. When asked, he says he’s just tired — but it’s becoming a concern.

You’ve scheduled a private 1:1 to talk about the shift in behavior, without putting pressure on Eli to disclose more than he wants to.

Supporting a Mid-Level Engineer Struggling to Focus

Ravi is a high-performing senior engineer who’s been noticeably distracted and withdrawn. During your check-in, he opens up and shares that he’s dealing with a serious personal issue (e.g., illness, family emergency, or grief).

This 1:1 started as a performance check-in but quickly turned into something more personal. You weren’t expecting the level of vulnerability shared.

Responding to a Personal Crisis — Senior Engineer Disclosure

Kira recently said she’d finish a small but critical task, but she didn’t follow through — and didn’t flag it. It created a bottleneck for someone else, and this isn’t the first time it’s happened.

You’re using this 1:1 to address the missed commitment while still supporting her growth and confidence.

Addressing a Missed Commitment — Junior Engineer

Jason is a generally capable engineer, but in this sprint he made a mistake that caused a production issue — and didn’t raise it until someone else flagged it. When asked, he downplayed his involvement.

This is a 1:1 to address the specific incident and the broader concern around accountability. You want to avoid blame while reinforcing how trust is built.

Confronting Avoidance and Accountability Gaps — Mid-Level Engineer

Amara is a technically respected senior engineer, but lately she’s been bypassing agreed processes, dismissing peer input, and being inconsistent with follow-through. Teammates have started raising concerns about working with her.

You’ve had feedback from several teammates, and this 1:1 is your opportunity to raise the issue before it causes deeper morale or delivery damage.

Eroding Team Trust — Senior Engineer Behavior

A technically strong engineer who tends to dismiss feedback and believes their work is beyond criticism.

Your peer recently submitted code that didn’t meet project or client expectations. You need to have a professional but honest conversation about what went wrong and how to avoid it in the future.

Giving Feedback to a Peer on Low-Quality Work — Arrogant

A competent but sensitive engineer who tends to get defensive when receiving criticism, even if it's intended to help.

Giving Feedback to a Peer on Low-Quality Work — Defensive

An easygoing engineer who appreciates feedback and wants to improve, but sometimes misses technical details.

Giving Feedback to a Peer on Low-Quality Work — Easygoing

Neha recently joined the team and has shown rapid growth. She still asks lots of questions, but her progress is clear. You want to offer encouraging, supportive feedback that helps her keep going.

You’ve been asked to write or share informal peer feedback for Neha. This could be for a team highlight, recognition shout-out, or just encouragement.

Giving Encouraging Feedback to a Peer Who’s Growing Fast

Jamal is a capable and friendly teammate — but during pair programming, he tends to talk over others and drive most decisions. You want to offer respectful feedback to help him create more space.

You’ve been asked to give informal peer feedback as part of a growth review cycle. You want to highlight Jamal’s strengths, but also raise a behavioral pattern.

Giving Balanced Feedback to a Peer Who Dominates Pairing Sessions

Victor is an experienced engineer who’s usually solid — but lately his code quality has dropped, and reviews are rushed. You’re peers, and you’ve been covering some of the slack. You want to bring it up carefully.

You’ve been asked to give 360 feedback for Victor. You respect his skill but feel the recent patterns can’t be ignored.

Giving Feedback to a Peer Whose Work Has Slipped

Alina is your onboarding mentor and has been really supportive. Today she gives you some feedback on testing habits and communication clarity. It’s fair, kind, and helpful — and you want to respond well.

You’ve just received some kind but direct feedback during a 1:1 — and now it’s your turn to respond.

Responding to Supportive Feedback as a New Engineer

Brian is a teammate you get along with. He recently gave you direct but fair feedback about your last feature being unclear and hard to debug. You want to respond constructively and not let it get awkward.

This is after a project handoff. Brian brings up the issue during a retro or async comment, and you're now responding to him in person or Slack.

Responding Professionally to Constructive Peer Feedback

Renee is your manager. She’s giving you feedback that your recent work has been technically fine but lacking initiative and leadership. It’s surprising and hard to hear — especially since you thought you were doing well.

This is a tough 1:1. You’ve just heard the feedback and now need to respond — without shutting down or overreacting.

Handling Tough Feedback From a Manager Without Getting Defensive

Monica is a well-liked manager who genuinely wants feedback. She’s great with people but sometimes misses updates or next steps in sprint planning. She’s asked you directly for input during your 1:1.

You're in a regular 1:1 and Monica asks, 'Is there anything I could be doing better as a manager?' You want to give helpful feedback without sounding critical.

Giving Upward Feedback to a Supportive Manager

David is an experienced and high-energy manager who genuinely wants to support the team. But in meetings, he often interrupts or redirects conversations, making it hard for quieter voices to speak up.

It’s your 1:1. David has asked for team feedback, and you want to raise the issue of over-talking — but in a way that lands well.

Giving Honest Feedback to a Manager Who Often Interrupts

Jonathan is a senior manager who cares about delivery — but has a reputation for reacting poorly to feedback. He’s asked you to be candid, but in past cases, people who spoke up got sidelined or shut down.

Jonathan asked for 'no filter' feedback during your 1:1. You’ve noticed team morale dipping, partly due to his blunt communication style and pressure during crunch times.

Giving Feedback to a Manager Who Doesn’t Take Criticism Well

Harper just completed their interview for a graduate frontend role. They’re new to the process, clearly nervous, but asked great questions and showed real promise.

The interview round is done. You’re giving verbal feedback — they weren’t a perfect fit yet, but you want them to walk away proud and clear on next steps.

Giving Encouraging Feedback to a Junior Candidate

You just completed interviews for a senior IC role you were excited about. You asked for feedback, and now the hiring manager is calling to share why the team decided not to move forward.

This is a high-emotion moment. You’re disappointed — maybe even surprised — but want to stay professional and learn what you can.

Receiving Disappointing Feedback as a Candidate

Devon is experienced and handled the interview gracefully — but their answers were surface-level and didn’t show the technical depth the team needs. They’re not a clear yes, but there’s potential.

Devon asked for feedback post-interview. You’re giving a verbal summary — with specific notes on what held them back from a strong hire.

Delivering Constructive Feedback to a Borderline Candidate

You’re in a mock interview with Taylor, a friendly engineer who’s interviewing you for a mid-level backend role. They’re warm, conversational, and want to help you succeed.

You’ve been asked to walk through past experiences — teamwork, conflict, delivery, etc. It’s a supportive but real-feeling mock session.

Behavioral Interview — Friendly Interviewer

Jordan is a respected senior engineer known for high standards and no-nonsense interviewing. He challenges answers, probes for specifics, and doesn’t give away how you’re doing.

You’re applying for a senior IC role. Jordan’s body language is flat, and he often interrupts or questions your assumptions.

Behavioral Interview — Skeptical Interviewer With Pushback

Jamie is conducting your behavioral interview. They're professional but a bit terse. They ask vague or open-ended questions that test your clarity, structure, and self-awareness.

You’re applying for a mid-level full-stack role. The questions are less friendly but still fair — you’ll need to guide the interviewer through your experience.

Behavioral Interview — Vague Question With Ambiguity

Emma is early in her career and clearly eager to do well. She’s friendly, respectful, and enthusiastic — but may ramble or give surface-level answers.

You’re running a behavioral interview for a junior backend role. Your goal is to assess communication, potential, and coachability.

Interviewing a Friendly Junior Engineer — Behavioral Round

Chris is a senior engineer with solid experience — but in interviews, he gets defensive when challenged or asked to reflect critically. You’ll need to stay calm and focused while maintaining control of the interview.

You’re evaluating for a staff-level backend role. You ask a behavioral or design question that reveals gaps, and Chris responds with deflection or ego.

Interviewing a Defensive Senior Engineer — Stay Professional

Leo has solid experience, but in interviews tends to over-explain, go off-topic, and struggle to land his main point. You’ll need to guide him back gently without derailing rapport.

You’re interviewing for a mid-level frontend role. Leo starts strong but tends to go on tangents or answer questions indirectly.

Interviewing a Rambling Mid-Level Engineer — Stay Focused

A positive, well-meaning junior engineer who tries hard but occasionally misses edge cases or overlooks details.

You’re doing a light performance check-in after a few minor delivery issues and missed QA catches. The engineer is motivated but needs more consistency.

Gentle Feedback on Small Mistakes — Junior Engineer

A capable, experienced engineer who’s technically strong but has become inconsistent in follow-through, quality, and attention to detail.

You’ve noticed a pattern of solid work followed by lapses in quality or ownership. You’re bringing it up in a 1:1 performance check-in.

Inconsistent Work Quality — Mid-Level Engineer

A seasoned senior engineer who delivers high-impact work but has developed a pattern of missed commitments, shifting priorities without alignment, and causing disruption.

This is a higher-stakes 1:1. Priya’s technical strength is clear, but her reliability and communication gaps are affecting other team members and stakeholders.

Addressing Erosion of Trust — Senior Engineer

Benji is a junior engineer who works hard but seems confused about priorities and success metrics. You’re noticing a disconnect between what’s being asked and what’s being delivered.

You’re checking in after Benji submitted a sprint deliverable that didn’t meet scope. He seems confused but receptive to feedback.

Clearing Up Confusion — Junior Engineer Unsure About Expectations

Jonas consistently completes assigned work, but rarely takes initiative, flags risks, or leads follow-through. The team feels he’s coasting in a mid-level role.

You’re preparing for a 1:1 with Jonas, whose lack of ownership is starting to limit his growth and reliability in key projects.

Holding Back on Ownership — Mid-Level Engineer

Mei is a technically sharp senior engineer who avoids taking responsibility when things go wrong, often blaming others or staying silent in high-stakes moments.

You’ve seen repeated moments where Mei deflects responsibility during incidents or misses, and others are noticing. This is now a credibility issue.

Avoiding Accountability — Senior Engineer

A consistent, well-liked engineer who delivers well and supports the team, but isn’t yet stepping into higher visibility or leadership impact.

You're having a 1:1 to give performance feedback — Riley is solid, but you want to start nudging toward tech leadership behaviors.

Recognizing Steady Impact — Mid-Level Engineer

A junior engineer who’s joined recently, taken feedback well, and delivered solid results. They’re positive, thoughtful, and eager to improve further.

You’re having a casual 1:1 to acknowledge Jamie’s strong start and talk about what’s next.

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