One-on-one

Getting together as a group is important, but what's even more crucial are those one-on-one meetings between a manager and the folks they're looking after.

Once Upon a Time, There Was the Performance Review

At the Agile Studio, we don't need those complex Performance Reviews you find in big companies. Just asking, "How's it going?" or "Tell me three things that aren't working" does the trick. These one-on-one chats are where we tackle problems and gather feedback. They should happen regularly, like once a week or every two weeks. And if things are going well, there's even some room for a more casual chat during the meeting – something you can't quite capture in emails or messaging apps.

Let's talk money

There's no use pretending that money doesn't matter. At a company, a person can feel at home. They can enjoy excellent relationships with colleagues and managers. They can value their autonomy. But if they don't see their achievements translating into financial growth, they will – at best – bring it up with their manager. At worst, they'll start looking for another job.

Giving people more autonomy allows them to contribute more profoundly to the company's growth. The Agile Studio gives a pay increase to each individual achieving clearly defined goals.

This requires the manager to carefully analyze each person's strengths and weaknesses. It's crucial to constantly suggest areas where they can and should improve. While also ensuring they have access to the tools needed to make those improvements (such as pairing them with someone more experienced).

While this might seem obvious, seeing how often people have to switch companies to get a pay increase is surprising. The Agile Studio breaks this loop by periodically adjusting financial status to match skill growth.