Asking 5 whys may not be getting you the results you hope for. But perhaps saying, “Tell me more….”, just might.
The question “why?” automatically puts someone on the defense. They have to explain their position. You will know this as the next sentence they say will start with “Because…..”.
In an organization committed to creating psychological safety, having people be defensive is not what you are aiming for.
It also provides fertile ground for the blame game.
So here is how to get around that. You want to start with a introductory statement; a statement declaring your intention.
Example: I need to ask you some questions. My questions are intended to gather information and not to question you or your thinking. My goal is how do we prevent this from happening in the future?
When you get undesirable results, leaders and teams alike are still getting used to not blaming the person but really looking at the process that allowed the result to go sideways. It’s taking on the perspective of a scientist. Looking at the result like an experiment that needs humble inquiry.
When you get a result you do not want, look at the process by asking, ”How can we prevent this from happening in the future?”
This will naturally allow the team to reflect on what happened, using the past to inform their response.
It allows the team the dignity to reflect without pressure of the “Why” questions. And while I appreciate the idea of asking people 5 whys, there is a better way to get to the root cause.
Focusing on what we do want has always been key to moving people forward. Here are some questions to consider replacing the 5 Whys:
How do we prevent this from happening again in the future?
What is our ideal outcome?
Tell me more…
What do you think, if anything, might have made a difference?
What are we missing?
What else?
Asking questions continues to create great shifts in perspectives and asking the right question, can be transformative. Here’s to transforming your results!
Thank you for taking the time to read this post.
