Pulse Check
A listening guide for 1:1 conversations with your team
This is not a performance review and not an audit. It is a conversation to understand how Nerdience actually works from the inside, and whether what we say about ourselves matches what our people feel day to day. The questions below are prompts, not a rigid script. Follow the threads that open up naturally. The goal is to listen, not to validate.
01
Their Journey Here
- How did you first hear about Nerdience, and what made you say yes?
- What were you expecting before you joined, and how did that compare to what you found?
- What keeps you here? If Nerdience disappeared tomorrow, what would you miss first?
- How do you feel about your own growth since joining? Are you becoming a better version of yourself professionally?
- Is there a specific project or skill that made you feel noticeably better at your craft?
- How does working here compare to previous places you have worked?
02
How Work Actually Happens
- Walk me through a recent project from beginning to end in your own words. How did it go?
- What tools did you use? Who did you lean on the most?
- What was the hardest moment on that project, and how did it get resolved?
- Is there something you built or delivered here that you are genuinely proud of?
- Is there any part of how we work day to day that slows you down or frustrates you?
- How do you use AI in your work right now?
- Does it feel like it helps you grow, or does it feel like it is doing the thinking for you?
03
Clients and the Outside World
- From what you have seen, why do you think clients choose us over others?
- When a client has been genuinely happy with us, what specifically made them feel that way?
- Have you had a difficult moment with a client or on a delivery? What happened and how did we handle it?
- If someone asked you what Nerdience does and why it matters, what would you say?
- Could you say it in one sentence?
04
Culture and How It Feels
- Do you feel safe speaking up here, whether that is raising a concern, pushing back on a decision, or admitting a mistake?
- When something has gone wrong on a project, how did leadership handle it?
- Do you feel like the work you do is seen and recognised?
- Is there anything about the culture here that is noticeably different from places you have worked before?
- Better or worse, and why?
- Is there anything you feel is missing, something that would make your day to day noticeably better?
05
Looking Forward
- What do you want to learn or build in the next six months?
- Is there a tool, domain, or skill you have been wanting to explore but have not had the chance yet?
- If you could change one thing about how Nerdience operates, what would it be?
- Is there anything you have been wanting to say that nobody has asked you yet?
Before You Go In
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Tell them upfront this is not a review. It is a listening session.
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Do not fill silences. The best answers come after a pause.
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Note not just what they say but how they say it. Hesitations matter.
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These are prompts, not a checklist. Follow threads that open up off the list.
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Write up notes shortly after, while the feel of the conversation is still fresh.
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What they share stays with you. Make that clear before you begin.
After Each Conversation
Write a short summary covering: why they joined and why they stay, how work actually happens in their experience, what they see in clients, how this sits against Nerdience values, and two or three honest observations worth noting. End with one sentence that captures the whole conversation. Keep it human and keep it honest.