Reducing the Frequency of Buddy Calls

[Nicbals]

As part of our ongoing efforts to streamline processes and ensure effectiveness in our review procedures, we are considering to change the frequency of our buddy review calls.

Currently, our buddy review calls are held quarterly, with discussions spanning self-review evaluations and contributor feedback evaluations. These sessions typically last between 45 minutes to an hour.

In alignment with General Magic’s recent implementation, we propose transitioning our buddy review calls from quarterly to semiannual (two times a year). We propose the buddy calls happen at the end of Q1 and end of Q3. Our reasoning for this timing is because contributors tend to be on vacation during the summer months and end of the year. This means that the next round of buddy review calls would be scheduled for October 2024, followed by another session in January 2025 (every 6 months).

We believe that extending the interval between these calls to every six months will offer several benefits:

More Comprehensive Data Collection: With a longer period between reviews, contributors will have more substantial data and experiences to reflect upon, leading to more insightful and productive discussions during the buddy review calls.

Increased Focus and Efficiency: By condensing the frequency of these calls, we aim to ensure that each session is highly focused and productive, allowing for more in-depth conversations and actionable feedback.

Furthermore, reducing the frequency of buddy calls, will reduce the administrative burdens for contributors with many buddies.

Better Alignment with Objectives: Adjusting the frequency of buddy review calls can help us ensure that our resources are allocated efficiently.

However, before finalizing this change, we value your input and perspectives. Your feedback is essential in ensuring that any adjustments we make are reflective of the needs and preferences of our community.

Therefore, we invite you to share your thoughts on this proposed change. Do you believe that transitioning to semiannual buddy review calls would be beneficial? Are there any concerns or considerations you would like us to take into account?

Your insights will be invaluable in guiding our decision-making process.

• Yes , I agree with reducing the frequency of the buddy review calls
• No, I disagree with reducing the frequency of the buddy review calls

[mitch]

I personally enjoy very much having feedback on how I can improve every 3 months, I feel only having that opportunity only every 6 months give us less opportunities to improve and can leave contributor performance issues lingering longer without giving them feedback. This also helps us resolve minor contributor conflicts faster.

Often this contributor feedback comes back into the org and informs our product and business decisions

[karmaticacid]

Honestly, I feel like, even with the push to do buddy reviews every quarter, I often miss a quarter anyway… I feel like I really don’t get a lot of general personal feedback & support around improvements I can make… and decreasing the frequency of buddy calls will sort of exasperate that issue.

I also think that, with my own buddies… it really feels like the frequency of review calls is right on track… new stuff comes up A LOT and once every 3 months provides the space for a lot of improvement, both on a personal an organizational level… usually my review calls with buddies last well over an hour with tons to get through & discuss.

I’m opposed to this proposal as it really seems to me like this will make LESS space to care for our contributors and make sure their voices are heard… and also less space to work with people & support their growth & evolution… and I don’t really have any personal issues with managing the reviews for my own buddy (just one now, though I used to have 5)… so I don’t feel like the workload around reviews needs to be cut either.

[NikolaCreatrix]

I think that the freequency should stay as it is and we should look into how can we support well-being and human connections of our contributors rather than reduce it. This is an important activity for a personal development and feedback, and for now the strongest form of mentoring, individual support, and finding alignment in our roles…

[Danibelle]

I don’t see how 6 months of data will be more comprehensive or would lead to more insightful and productive discussions, more likely that much would be lost as experiences fade and are replaced by others.

There’s an element of immediacy that gets lost after 1 month let alone 3, and too much referential data will be lost over time for feedback to be relevant or effective.