A “What Else” 1:1

If we could travel back in time, just like Marty and Doc in the Back to the Future trilogy, you’d see how I first led 1:1s and why I needed to change. Stepping out of the DeLorean, you’d land in one of my early sessions, where the agenda was ~10 minutes for the SDR’s challenges and questions, ~10 minutes reviewing KPIs, ~10 minutes on open action items, followed by a recap email. Looking back, it’s clear those meetings were mostly about me.

Over time, everything changed when my new director opened our first 1:1 by asking, “What’s on your mind?” Immediately after, they followed with, “What else?” and then, “What else?” again and again. Before I knew it, I had fully opened up to someone I barely knew, all without an agenda. We talked about my challenges, how I wanted to solve them, and how he could support me. That simple combination of “What’s on your mind?” and “What else?”, along with the conversation that unfolded, made me realize I had to try it myself.

So, I tried it in my very next SDR 1:1, opening with, “What’s on your mind?” and then, “What else?” on repeat. To my surprise, an SDR who rarely spoke up took over the conversation and shared struggles with our new HubSpot CRM. Together, we mapped out ways to overcome the challenge and how I could support, ultimately creating a plan to remove the roadblock. That plan helped the SDR use HubSpot more efficiently and source more pipeline, freeing time from CRM bottlenecks to focus on outbound. The experience pushed me to use this approach again and again, until I threw out the script and embraced my authentic self.

I’m not saying you should ignore KPIs or skip action items. What I’m saying is have a real conversation. Start with, “What’s on your mind?” and follow it with, “What else?” and you’ll be surprised by the results. You’ll also see deeper engagement and greater effectiveness in your 1:1s. 

Instead of always sending a follow-up email, ask at the end of the meeting what was most useful, and discuss action items together. That way, the 1:1 becomes a two-way learning experience instead of a rigid discussion. I’m not saying never send a follow-up email, but when you do, make sure it has a clear purpose rather than being sent out of habit. Remember, ask, “What’s on your mind?” then “What else?” and then “What else?” again and again. These simple questions will change the way you lead 1:1s, no time machine required.