Discover how to transform routine meetings into powerful career tools. Learn effective techniques for cold outreach, manager relationships, and structured updates that build meaningful connections across your organization.

How to have a catch up to be genuinely helpful and build networks and learn lots across the organisation from cold emailing to having the meeting and when should I know to set up recurring ones. How to have a ways of working meeting with manager and important meetings to have with a new manager in new role. How to deliver status updates and stands ups in the structure (Monday - priorities, Wednesday - blockers, fridays - wins).


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From Columbia University alumni built in San Francisco

**Lena:** Hey there, welcome to another episode! I've been thinking about something that's been on my mind lately. You know how we're always rushing from meeting to meeting? Well, there's one type of meeting that I think deserves more attention – the catch-up meeting.
**Nia:** Oh, absolutely! Catch-up meetings are so underrated. I was reading that employees who have regular one-on-ones with their managers are actually 430% more likely to be engaged at work. That's a massive difference!
**Lena:** Wait, seriously? 430%? That's wild! But I guess it makes sense. There's something powerful about having dedicated time with your manager or colleagues where you can actually talk about what matters.
**Nia:** Right, and what's interesting is that many people dread these meetings or see them as a waste of time. I've definitely walked out of catch-ups thinking, "Why did we even bother with that?"
**Lena:** I've been there too! I had this one boss who would just talk about his pet projects the entire time. I never felt heard, and the time would just slip away.
**Nia:** That's exactly the problem! A good catch-up isn't just another calendar entry—it's an opportunity to build relationships, align on goals, and actually grow professionally. Whether you're cold emailing someone new in the organization or meeting with your manager, there's an art to making these conversations truly valuable.
**Lena:** So what's the secret then? How do we transform these meetings from awkward obligations into something genuinely helpful?
**Nia:** Let's break down the essential elements of effective catch-up meetings, from setting clear objectives to following up properly, and how they can become your most powerful tool for building networks and advancing your career.