Last week we discussed The Five Why’s and their importance in interoffice communication, effective leadership skills, and overall quality management. This week I want to share with you the different ways you can accomplish asking The Five Why’s without actually having to ask WHY.
Asking “Why?” over and over again can make someone defensive. When an employee shows signs of needing your guidance, the last thing you want to do is unintentionally alienate them. When you are mindful that there are multiple layers to an issue or challenge, you create an opportunity for open lines of communication and trust-building.
There are ways to ask “why” multiple times without riddling someone with “WHY, WHY, WHY”. These are the kinds of leadership skills I enjoy sharing because they are easy to implement and instantly effective. Let’s review some examples:
Can you tell me more about that?
What else?
Can you share with me the history of how you got here?
How did you get there?
What caused that?
What led to that result?
Like the five why’s, asking “what else” helps get us get to the real story. Every one of us has a story that we tell ourselves and others. Our stories have a beginning, an end, a plot, some villains, maybe a little humor, possibly some drama. However as leaders, we have to remember that these stories are just that: stories.
Coming up next week: I will share with you more on the topic of how getting to the bottom of any story (versus just taking negative outcomes at face value) results in a better outcome, and what that means for your leadership skills and your company’s success.
Until next time,
Doug