Success: Do You Start With the "Why" Question?

You and I hear messages all the time about action.

"Just do it."

"We're falling behind in our sales figures. Get out and do more."

"Don't just stand there--do something."

"We need to change the organization."

I'm big on doing stuff, too. But I've learned that being busy doesn't necessarily lead to what I want to achieve.

Why?

Because I didn't ask "why?"

"Why?" is a threatening question. It gets at purpose and motive. For those very reasons, it's the first question that you and I need to ask ourselves--and others--before committing time and energy to anything.

If committing your time doesn't match your purpose, then answering the "why?" question is time well spent.

George Ambler at The Practice of Leadership and Mark Howell at Strategy Central are both paying attention to this important question, too.

What's your experience with the "why?" question?

Comments

[Valeria Maltoni]

The funny thing (well, not so funny) is that some organizations are so addicted to the action that if you suggest we ask ourselves the "why" question, you are seen almost automatically as a nay-sayer.

Yet, so much time -- and precious energy -- could be saved by optimizing and attuning to the reason(s) and essentially the strategy behind the business impetus. Writing a 5-year or a 3-year plan on your business gets you only partly there. Rewriting a statement of purpose on where you intend to take the business, and possibly the industry (where appropriate) may be a better way to go.

[Alexander Kjerulf]

My experience is that why trumps how every time. If your why is not in place, no amount of execution will get you there. Even if it did, you still wouldn't know why...

Peter Block's excellent book "The answer to how is yes" is all about this - I recommend it highly!

[Steve Roesler]

Indeed, Alex. Good point.

I haven't read Peter's book yet but intend to. He lives not far from me and over the years I've worked to together on consulting gigs with some of this associates.

[Steve Roesler]

Valeria, you just reminded me of a real-life encounter.

I was working with a company who claimed to "highly value" critical thinking skills. So we designed some methodologies and assessments to help determine the scope of one's abilities in that area.

Later on I was in a management meeting at the same company. When someone started to question a proposed action--and then provide a well thought-out case for his position--he was told "we've got to do something. There isn't time to think that much about it."

I'm betting that that story will look familiar to many.

[peter vajda]

you write: ""Why?" is a threatening question. It gets at purpose and motive. For those very reasons, it's the first question that you and I need to ask ourselves--and others--before committing time and energy to anything."

It also points directly to values....which underlie motives...and values drive all of our do-ings and be-ings..from the moment we get out of bed in the morning. The Japanese have a strategy called the "5 whys" and when making a decision they ask and answer "why" five times...and when they get to the fifth response they have clarity around both "right action" and the values driving the action.

[Steve Roesler]

Thanks for adding that to the conversation, Peter.

Yes, the very fact that 'why" leads to motives and values does make it a very uncomfortable question.

It sounds as if the Japanese have decided to allow time for the necessary discomfort required before arriving at a sense of peace regarding an issue. How wise.