Ask Till You Know

The Five Whys

I’m privileged to work directly with a great woman as my boss, and I have learned so much during my time with her. Until I migrated from my home country of Nigeria, I took it for granted that older professionals (and older members of the society) automatically just offered younger and upcoming professionals mentorship.

When I started my professional journey in America, I came across many female professionals who just didn’t give a hoot about being in the same field. It was quite the culture shock for me. Believe it or not, I had to literally pray to find a mentor. It took years for the prayer to come through to reality.

With my current boss, I’ve learned so much about life as a professional, and life as someone who is looking forward to impacting lives positively when the baton is passed down to me. Recently, I learned something very exciting about problem solving, and want to share it with my audience.

Problem-solving takes a systematic approach. I was given the opportunity to start the troubleshooting process. The process eventually required help from a customer care representative. When I asked the question of concern and got the first answer, I thought “…welp, I guess that’s that!”, and I was about to end the call when my boss took it over.

When I tell you that in life, you don’t know what you don’t know, best believe it! I was thinking she had a different question than the one we needed to ask, but she asked the same question again. So I thought she wanted to be sure we heard everything right. But she kept asking what sounded like the same question to me until the fifth ask. I won’t lie, I was in the customer service representative’s disposition at that point.

But guess what? At the fifth ask, a completely new set of information was offered and I was mind blown! Upon reviewing that process at a later time, I realized that each time she asked, a new information was added to the repeated answers. I could do this review because I was writing down information, and I looked at my paper to see at what point of the conversation each note was taken.

It wasn’t the first time I’d seen her do that. But it was the first time I caught the drift of the process. Suddenly it dawned on me that I had witnessed one of the most simple yet prolific problem solving skills. It is called, in all its simplicity, the five whys.

The Five Whys is a problem-solving technique used primarily in root cause analysis. Developed by Sakichi Toyoda and later incorporated into the Toyota Production System, it involves asking “why” five times (or as many times as necessary) to drill down to the underlying cause of a problem. The technique helps teams and individuals move beyond the superficial symptoms of a problem to uncover the root cause, which can then be addressed effectively.

Granted that most of us are not in core decision making roles in our jobs, but the five whys is a skill that is transferable to our personal lives. Here’s how to effectively apply the Five Whys in your personal life.

1. Identify the Problem

The first step is to clearly define the issue you want to explore. This could be a recurring challenge, a negative emotion, or a behavior you wish to change. For example:

“I always feel stressed on weekends.”

2. Ask the First “Why”

Once you have identified the problem, ask yourself why it is happening. This initial question should focus on the immediate cause of the issue.

Example:

Problem: “I always feel stressed on weekends.”

Why? “Because I have so many tasks to complete.”

3. Continue Asking “Why”

For each answer you provide, ask “why” again. This will help you dig deeper into the underlying causes. Repeat this process up to five times or until you feel you have enough insight.

Continuing the Example:

“Why do I have so many tasks to complete?”

“Because I didn’t manage my time well during the week.”

“Why didn’t I manage my time well?”

“Because I kept getting distracted by social media.”

“Why did I get distracted by social media?”

“Because I was feeling bored and looking for entertainment.”

“Why was I feeling bored?”

“Because I didn’t plan any enjoyable activities for the weekend.”

4. Reflect on the Insights

After going through the Five Whys exercise, take a moment to reflect on the insights you’ve gained. What have you learned about the root causes of your problem? Understanding the deeper reasons behind your feelings or behaviors can provide clarity and guide your next steps.

5. Develop an Action Plan

Once you have identified the root cause, create a plan to address the issue. Focus on actionable steps that can help you overcome the underlying problems.

Continuing the Example:

• Insight: “I need to plan enjoyable activities for the weekend to reduce boredom.”
• Action Plan:
• Schedule a fun outing or activity each weekend (e.g., hiking, visiting a museum, or spending time with friends).
• Set aside specific times during the week to disconnect from social media and engage in hobbies or interests.

6. Monitor Progress and Adjust

After implementing your action plan, monitor your progress and evaluate whether the changes are making a positive impact. Be open to adjusting your strategies as needed. If the problem persists, you may want to revisit the Five Whys to explore further underlying causes.

Apply to Other Areas of Your Life

The Five Whys technique is versatile and can be applied to various personal challenges, such as:

• Career Development: Analyze barriers to career advancement or job satisfaction.
• Health and Wellness: Identify reasons for unhealthy habits or lack of motivation to exercise.
• Relationships: Understand recurring conflicts or communication issues with friends or family.

I am personally putting this concept to use in my professional career. Knowing that I won’t be matching into residency this year has me asking the whys of it. My personal philosophy is to make sure that nothing I need to do to match into residency has been left undone. Adding the concept of asking myself the whys helps me to speedily recognize what I can do that I’ve not done. More than that, it helps me to structure my moves in a way that makes them easier to execute.

Perhaps you would have learned the importance of having a mentor in this article, or how to approach problems in a systematic manner, or how to bring the important areas of your life into perspective. You can leave us a comment below to let us know which aspect of this article you found most useful. Subscribing to our quarterly newsletter is a way of staying abreast with solid content like this one.

Conclusion

The Five Whys approach is a valuable tool for self-discovery and problem-solving in personal life. By systematically exploring the reasons behind your challenges, you can gain deeper insights, promote self-awareness, and develop effective strategies for change. Whether it involves managing stress, improving relationships, or achieving personal goals, the Five Whys can empower you to take control of your life and foster positive transformation. Embracing this technique not only facilitates personal growth but also enhances your ability to navigate the complexities of everyday life with greater clarity and intention.