compliments of
FutureVisionsSM
creating sustainable results in growth and performance
Ask "Why" three to five times in a row
before agreeing to do
something
Journalists, skilled negotiators, leaders, and counselors are taught to
ask "WHY" UP TO FIVE TIMES IN A ROW. Why? Because none of us dig deeply
into why we do something, we just do it.
This human trait can be very costly in the workplace. If you don't dig
into why, you may be taking on unnecessary to-dos. Getting what you need
out of anyone - even well-intentioned individuals who are good
communicators - may take between three to five Why's to get at what they
are really asking of you, or to get what you need from them to make an
informed decision.
If your boss asks you to drop what you're doing and take care of
something else, ask why. If s/he says because it's needed by tomorrow, ask
why. If it's because of a client deadline, ask why the client has set that
deadline.
If your boss answers your third, fourth or fifth why with "just do it",
you have little opportunity to deflect or reject. Fair enough. Pushing
back this way will work more often with teammates and peers than it will
with bosses who are in charge of your work. But there is a bigger issue
here, one that changes how you listen and how you track what's truly
important.
Get fanatical about asking WHY? several times whenever you're handed a
to-do. If this approach deflects only an occasional project, that's OK.
The point is that you will improve your ability to distinguish between
what's important and what isn't. You'll begin to notice the holes in many
of the rationales you're given. With that clarity, you'll gain greater
confidence to say no when you encounter a request to do something that
doesn't really matter.
