You gave the team lead role to Hannah. Marcus expected it, his team knows it, and he asked for this meeting before you announce it tomorrow.
M
Marcus
Senior Engineer, your organisation
They open the call. Listen before you speak.
You are
An engineering manager with eight direct reports.
The situation
You are promoting Hannah Marsh to team lead for the payments squad. Marcus Okonkwo has been the senior engineer on that squad for three years and was told eighteen months ago he was on track. The decision is made. Marcus asked for a one-to-one before you tell the team tomorrow morning.
What you want out of it
Tell him clearly, hear him out without reopening the decision, and leave with a credible plan for what happens to him — not a promise you cannot keep.
What you already know
— The decision is final. You and the director agreed on Hannah last week.
— Marcus was told he was on track for team lead eighteen months ago.
— His team have been asking him about the role for weeks.
— You do not yet have a written growth plan for Marcus. Pretending you do would be a lie.
4 things they won't volunteer, 2 of them buried.
How hard should they play?
Sharper, and harder to impress.
Coach mode
Call language
47 languages. The counterpart, the pressure and the scoring are the same in all of them.