As a tech lead in an international team, one of the most important — and often most uncomfortable — responsibilities is the 1-on-1 meeting. For many Vietnamese engineers who step into leadership, the technical side feels fine, but sitting across from a team member and asking “How are you really doing?” in English can feel unnatural.
This guide gives you real language, practical structure, and honest examples to make your 1-on-1s more effective.
Why 1-on-1s Matter More Than You Think
1-on-1 meetings are not status updates. They are relationship-building time between a tech lead and each team member. When done well, they:
- Surface blockers before they become problems
- Help you understand each person’s motivation
- Build trust across a distributed or multicultural team
The mistake many Vietnamese tech leads make is treating 1-on-1s like a mini standup — asking “what are you working on?” and moving on. The real value comes from deeper questions.
Key Phrases for 1-on-1 Meetings
Opening the Meeting
- “Thanks for making time. How’s your week been?”
- “Before we dive in, anything urgent you want to cover first?”
- “I have a few things on my end, but I want to hear from you first.”
Checking In on Workload and Wellbeing
- “How are you feeling about your current workload?”
- “Is anything blocking you that I should know about?”
- “Are you getting enough support from the team?”
- “How confident do you feel about the deadline we discussed?”
Career and Growth
- “Is there anything you’d like to learn more of in the next sprint?”
- “Are there opportunities you feel you’re missing out on?”
- “How do you feel about the feedback from the last sprint review?”
Wrapping Up
- “Let me summarize what we agreed on before we close.”
- “I’ll follow up on [X] by end of week.”
- “Is there anything else you want to raise before we finish?”
Example Dialogues
Dialogue 1: Checking on a Struggling Team Member
Tech Lead (TL): “Hey Minh, thanks for joining. How are things going this week?”
Minh: “It’s okay. A bit busy.”
TL: “Yeah, I noticed the ticket count has been high. Are you feeling stretched thin, or is it manageable?”
Minh: “Honestly, I’ve been stuck on the authentication module. I’m not sure my approach is right.”
TL: “I appreciate you telling me. Would it help to do a quick sync later today to walk through it together? No pressure — I just want to make sure you’re not blocked.”
Minh: “That would be really helpful, thank you.”
TL: “Great. And for future reference, you can always ping me on Slack. I’d rather catch blockers early.”
Why this works: The tech lead doesn’t jump straight to problem-solving. They create space for the team member to open up first.
Dialogue 2: Giving Constructive Feedback
TL: “I wanted to talk about the PR you submitted on Tuesday. Can I share some thoughts?”
Dev: “Sure.”
TL: “Overall, the logic was solid. One thing I’d like us to work on together is the naming conventions — some of the variable names were hard to follow for reviewers who don’t know the domain well. Does that make sense?”
Dev: “Yeah, I see what you mean.”
TL: “I’m not saying it’s wrong — it’s a growth area. Would it be useful if I shared some examples of how we name things in the legacy codebase for context?”
Dev: “Yes, that would help.”
TL: “Perfect. I’ll drop them in Slack after this call.”
Why this works: Feedback is specific, non-personal, and followed with a concrete offer to help.
Dialogue 3: Career Growth Conversation
TL: “I wanted to check in on where you see yourself in the next six months. Any areas you’re hoping to grow in?”
Dev: “I’d like to take on more system design work. I feel like I’m mostly doing feature tickets.”
TL: “That’s great to hear. We have an upcoming initiative around the notification service. Would you be interested in leading the design doc for that?”
Dev: “Yes, definitely.”
TL: “I’ll flag it with the PM to get you involved early. It’s a good opportunity to practice leading a technical discussion, too.”
Why this works: The tech lead listens, then immediately connects the goal to a real opportunity — not just a vague promise.
Common Mistakes Vietnamese Tech Leads Make
1. Filling the Silence Too Quickly
In Vietnamese culture, silence can feel awkward, so we rush to fill it. In 1-on-1s, silence often means the other person is thinking. Give them space.
Instead of: Immediately asking another question when there’s a pause Try: Waiting 3–5 seconds. You’ll be surprised what people say when given space.
2. Mixing Vietnamese and English Nervously
In international teams, switching languages mid-sentence can confuse colleagues or make you seem less confident. If you’re leading in English, stay in English. Prepare your key phrases beforehand so you don’t freeze.
3. Making It a Status Update
Many Vietnamese tech leads open with “So, what are you working on this week?” — turning 1-on-1s into standups. The status you can get from Jira. Use 1-on-1 time for things you can’t get from Jira: blockers, feelings, career goals, and relationship-building.
4. Not Taking Notes or Following Up
Saying “I’ll look into that” and forgetting it destroys trust quickly. Keep a simple note for each 1-on-1 and reference it next time.
Try: “Last time you mentioned you wanted more design work. I flagged it with the PM — here’s what they said.”
5. Only Talking When There’s a Problem
If the only time you schedule 1-on-1s is when something is wrong, people will start dreading them. Keep them regular — every 1–2 weeks — even when everything is fine. That consistency is what makes people feel supported.
A Simple 1-on-1 Template
Use this structure to guide your next 1-on-1:
- Check-in (5 min) — “How are you? Anything urgent?”
- Their agenda (10 min) — “What’s on your mind this week?”
- Your feedback or updates (5 min) — Share something constructive or informational
- Growth check (5 min) — One question about development or wellbeing
- Action items (2 min) — Summarize what each person will do next
That’s 25 minutes — structured, efficient, and genuinely useful.
Final Thought
The best 1-on-1 is not the one where you say the most impressive things. It’s the one where your team member leaves feeling heard, supported, and clear on what comes next.
For Vietnamese tech leads stepping into international roles, this kind of soft-skill English is just as important as the technical vocabulary. Practice these phrases, use the templates, and most importantly — show up consistently.
Your team will notice.