What To Do If Your Manager Keeps Canceling Your 1 on 1s

Your manager keeps canceling your 1 on 1s due to a perceived lack of discussion topics, even though you always have a lot to talk about. What do you do?

Your manager cancels your upcoming 1 on 1 meeting due to an unexpected, new fire that they have to deal with. However, you have a lot of important issues to talk about. What do you do?

Proactively managing recurring one-on-ones is crucial, especially given the inherent power and time imbalance between managers and their direct reports.

- **Acknowledge the power dynamic**: Managers are often busier and have more reports, which can lead to frequent cancellations. Recognizing this helps frame a constructive response.
- **Use a shared running doc**: If a meeting is about to be canceled due to “nothing to talk about,” reference specific bullet points in a shared one-on-one document to demonstrate the agenda and keep the meeting on the calendar.
- **Reschedule thoughtfully**: When a cancellation is due to emergencies or time constraints, acknowledge the situation but follow up by proposing specific alternative time slots based on their availability.
- **Reduce their friction**: Make it easy for the manager to say yes by combining two key tactics—propose a concrete reschedule and provide the meeting agenda in advance.
- **Leverage career growth principles**: Just like with asking for support or promotions, simplifying the decision-making for your manager increases the chances of success and strengthens your working relationship.

20 Years Of Fighting Procrastination [Part 6] - The #1 Way To Create Accountability

When motivation fades, there's a simple yet powerful way to regain momentum—build accountability into your workflow. Here are the key ideas from the lesson:

- Social pressure is more powerful than self-discipline alone, making accountability partners or group settings highly effective for staying on track

- Benefits of accountability include learning from others, drawing inspiration, and getting called out when you're making excuses or losing focus

- Tactics include going into the office, joining virtual co-working platforms, setting review checkpoints, or scheduling deadlines—even artificial ones—to create external motivation and structure

Become A Debugging Master [Part 19] - Go Deeper: Follow Through

Related courses:

- [Ask Great Questions That Get Great Answers Quickly](https://www.jointaro.com/course/ask-great-questions-that-get-great-answers-quickly/)
- [Level Up Your Code Quality As A Software Engineer](https://www.jointaro.com/course/level-up-your-code-quality-as-a-software-engineer/)

Ship & Grow 500k+ User Side Projects [Part 21] - Go Deeper: Follow Through

A Taro member made a summary of the course: [Side Projects Shipping & Growing - Summary Doc](https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/tech-career-growth.appspot.com/o/courses%2Fgeneral_resources%2F%5BSUMMARY%5D%20Side%20Projects%20-%20Shipping%20%26%20Growing.pdf?alt=media&token=6d336c8b-26d6-45f2-a206-8682e64d21c5)

Related courses:

- [Build Side Projects With 500k+ Users: Coming Up With An Idea](https://www.jointaro.com/course/build-side-projects-with-500k-users-coming-up-with-an-idea/)
- [Level Up Your Code Quality As A Software Engineer](https://www.jointaro.com/course/level-up-your-code-quality-as-a-software-engineer/)

Ship & Grow 500k+ User Side Projects [Part 1] - How This Course Works

Like most engineers, do you have a slate of personal projects on your resume but recruiters and hiring managers simply don't seem to care? Well, that's almost certainly because [your projects don't have any users](https://www.jointaro.com/course/build-side-projects-with-500k-users-coming-up-with-an-idea/what-makes-a-project-valuable/).

This course is here to fix that issue for you. Here are the core parts of the lesson:

- Your instructor [Alex Chiou](https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexander-chiou/) walks you through his extensive 10+ year Silicon Valley background with rapid career advancement, ending up as a high-performing tech lead making $750k at Robinhood. Most importantly, he goes through how he's built 30+ side project apps with 3 of them getting 500k+ users, getting him interviews at top companies like OpenAI, Google, Uber, Instacart, and more

- We walk you through the course objectives. By the end of the course, you will:

  - 1️⃣ Understand what makes a great first version

  - 😯 Learn easy, low-effort ways to improve a product

  - 🗣️ Set up the right mindset for processing user feedback

  - 💻 Know how to build a smooth user interface

  - 📈 Get tactics to acquire users organically

You can find the first side project course here: [Build Side Projects With 500k+ Users: Coming Up With An Idea](https://www.jointaro.com/course/build-side-projects-with-500k-users-coming-up-with-an-idea/)

DSA Crash Course [Part 17] - Intersection Walkthrough

In this lesson, Alvin walks through the python implementation for the *intersection* problem.

Code along and test your work in the following editor workspace: <https://structy.net/problems/intersection?language=py>

If you need additional support taking these DSA skills and actually applying them, take [**Alvin's**](https://www.linkedin.com/in/alvin-zablan-b73a92117/) *complete* data structures and algorithms course on [**Structy**](https://structy.net/?utm_source=taro). You can try out the concepts yourself in their interactive code editor and learn advanced DSA patterns like stack exhaustive recursion.

Use [**this link to get 20% off**](https://structy.net/purchase?promo_code=taro20) the entire Structy DSA learning experience.

Follow Alvin on LinkedIn: <https://www.linkedin.com/in/alvin-zablan-b73a92117/>

Master The DSA Interview [Part 25] - Do Mocks

Many engineers actually know all of the data structures and algorithms concepts, but they aren't able to bring that out during the live interview when it actually matters. Luckily, there's a solution for that. This lesson teaches you:

- Why there's a fundamental dynamic shift between studying data structures and algorithms and actually solving the problems in a live interview
- The many concrete differences between data structures and algorithms in study mode vs. live interview mode
- General tips on how to both give and receive a good mock interview
- What a quality data structures and algorithms interview scorecard looks like so you can create good ones when you give a mock interview

Find mock interview partners here: <https://www.jointaro.com/networking/?selectedServices=Mock+Interviews>

Master The DSA Interview [Part 12] - Stuck? Here's What To Do

A defining trait of a strong software engineer is their ability to conquer hardship, and one of these hardships is getting stuck on a data structures and algorithms interview problem. This lesson teaches you:

- Why you need to communicate when you're stuck
- A proactive foundation you should set up to minimize your chances of getting stuck
- What actions you can take when you're stuck outside of coding up the optimal solution (which you obviously don't have as otherwise why would you be stuck?)

Master The DSA Interview [Part 10] - Run-Time Analysis

After clarifying the problem and coming up with a detailed, granular plan, coding up the solution should have been trivial. Now it's time for big O. This lesson teaches you:

- How to actually learn run-time analysis instead of memorizing the big O of every individual problem
- The structure of a strong run-time analysis for a data structures and algorithms problem
- Exactly what a quality run-time analysis looks like, explained with an in-depth example

Master The DSA Interview [Part 5] - It's A Parasite

While data structures and algorithms are pivotal when it comes to cracking interviews, you need to be careful about how you interact with them. If you don't, they can easily tank your job search. This lesson teaches you:

- Why data structures and algorithms are parasitic
- How data structures and algorithms are actually the most shallow interview type, especially for non-junior engineers
- Other activities you can do on the job search to achieve more well-rounded results
- The decision tree you should use to figure out if you should go hard on data structures and algorithms studying

To learn how to build up your network: [\[Masterclass\] How To Build Deep Relationships Quickly In Tech](https://www.jointaro.com/lesson/tyaPFMXPoz2pmzB7OVzt/masterclass-how-to-build-deep-relationships-quickly-in-tech/)

To learn how to build effective side projects: [\[Taro Top 10\] Building Impressive Side Projects](https://www.jointaro.com/playlist/vKUWMgmmaEvzcYUXZs4B/)

Break Into Tech And Become A Software Engineer [Part 5] - Know Your Fundamentals & Frameworks

In this lesson, Brian highlights the balance between knowing your technical fundamentals and understanding modern frameworks to build effective software applications.

This lesson covers:

- The importance of having both foundational knowledge and framework expertise to speak the same technical language as co-workers, especially those with computer science degrees
- How understanding design patterns, software development lifecycles, and common best practices prevents you from reinventing the wheel and helps you navigate technical discussions
- Key resources like *Clean Code*, *You Don’t Know JavaScript*, and *The Phoenix Project* that deepen your knowledge of coding fundamentals and software development processes

If you need extra help breaking into tech, join Brian's exclusive, cohort-based bootcamp (just 10 students per batch). Use this special link for $800 off: <https://www.parsity.io/taro>

Connect with Brian on LinkedIn: <https://www.linkedin.com/in/brianjenney/>

Grow From Junior To Mid-Level Engineer [Part 17] - High-Level Roadmap

There's a bunch of different skills you need to develop as a junior engineer to grow to a mid-level engineer. To make things trickier, the order in which you develop them matters *a lot*. This lesson teaches you:

- The 4-phases high-level roadmap to grow from junior engineer to mid-level
- How long it takes to go from phase to phase on the mid-level engineer growth trajectory
- The necessary components you need to have to establish a strong presence on your team, strong enough to merit a mid-level engineer promotion

Top System Design Interview Mistakes [Part 11] - Don't Assume the Happy Path

In this segment, we focus on a common issue often seen with more junior engineers - Only considering the happy path when designing systems. Here’s the core points from the video:

- As engineers, our goal is to design systems that work reliably even when things go wrong. A system that fails 1% of the time is often unacceptable

- We need to anticipate and design for potential issues, not just ideal scenarios

- Proactively identifying weaknesses and planning solutions demonstrates strong engineering skills and foresight

- Documenting our design and potential problems as we go helps manage complexity and ensures we address edge cases effectively

- We go through a detailed example of all this with a ride-sharing system design problem

If you need extra help with your system design interview, [Formation.dev](https://formation.dev/partners/taro) can provide you hands-on, personalized support. Join us here: <https://formation.dev/partners/taro>

Top System Design Interview Mistakes [Part 7] - Document As You Go

In system design interviews, it's essential to use multiple forms of communication—verbal, written, and visual. A common mistake is relying only on verbal communication, which can lead to confusion and missed opportunities to iterate on your design.

- Not writing anything down makes it difficult to follow your logic, especially when discussing complex systems. Without written or visual references, both you and the interviewer may struggle to keep track of the design.
- Documenting as you go—whether through diagrams, lists, or notes—makes it easier to iterate on and debug your design. It also frees up your mental resources to focus on solving new problems instead of remembering all the details.
- Finally, well-documented designs provide a useful reference for interviewers when they review your performance after the interview.

If you need extra help with your system design interview, [Formation.dev](https://formation.dev/partners/taro) can provide you hands-on, personalized support. Join us here: <https://formation.dev/partners/taro>

Asking Great Questions [Part 5] - Figure It Out Or Get Help?

As a software engineer, you need to figure out a lot of things on your own (that's why you get paid the big bucks). However, you don't want to go the extreme where you endlessly run yourself into a wall by not getting help. This lesson teaches you:

- When to figure it out on your own vs. get help
- The dynamic behind solving complex engineering problems
- How to identify if you're stuck
- When to ask for help earlier instead of later

Asking Great Questions [Part 4] - Make Questions Your Superpower

Many engineers see asking questions as a sign of weakness, which is why they don't do it. What these engineers don't realize is that if you do it properly, asking questions can actually become your *strength*. This lesson teaches you:

- The different levels of skill when it comes to asking questions
- The *massive* career benefits you can get when your question asking skills are truly top-notch, particularly around mentorship
- How expertly crafted questions build up your trust and reputation

To learn more about how to attract the best tech mentors: ["How does one attract a sponsor who is invested in their growth?"](https://www.jointaro.com/question/pRX7I8QC5YPOEDNX5q87/how-does-one-attract-a-sponsor-who-is-invested-in-their-growth/)

Asking Great Questions [Part 2] - There Are No Stupid Questions

All questions start off from a positive place: An intent to learn more about the world. What matters is how you move forward with that positive energy when executing your question. This lesson teaches you:

- Why there's no such thing as a stupid or dumb question
- Why software engineers need to ask a *ton* of questions in order to succeed
- How bad questions corrupt their initially positive core can weaken the reputation of the asker
- How good questions follow through on their initially positive core to maintain that positive energy and strengthen the reputation of the asker

[Become A Go-To Person 9/18] The Formula For Expertise

A course by [Jordan Cutler](https://www.linkedin.com/in/jordancutler1/), Senior Software Engineer at Pinterest and Author of the [High Growth Engineer Newsletter](https://read.highgrowthengineer.com/)

[Become A Go-To Person 4/18] The Benefits Of Being The Go-To Person

A course by [Jordan Cutler](https://www.linkedin.com/in/jordancutler1/), Senior Software Engineer at Pinterest and Author of the [High Growth Engineer Newsletter](https://read.highgrowthengineer.com/)

Get a discount on Jordan's newsletter here: <https://read.highgrowthengineer.com/taro>

Tech Lead Blueprint 1/17 - What's The Deal With Tech Leads?

Engineer A claims "*I am the Tech Lead for Engineer B*", while Engineer B claims "*I am the Tech Lead for Engineer A*" 🤔🤔

Lalit has seen several variants of this from his experience as a peer reviewer for Google engineers during performance reviews. Lalit discusses the common desire for the tech lead role, the lack of explicit definitions in tech companies, and the implicit nature of becoming a tech lead.

Connect with Lalit on LinkedIn: <https://www.linkedin.com/in/lalitkundu/>

Tech Career Growth Videos

Our instructional videos provide software engineers with insights needed for career growth. Masterclasses go incredibly in-depth on a specific tech topic while case studies are real examples from established engineering leaders.