Ask Five
Glory Ize Isaiah
The Serial Storyteller. Law and Rural Development. Obsessed with stories and storytelling in words and images. Let me bring your story to life.
Dear you,
This newsletter was inspired by a little girl who is my neighbor’s daughter. I was in my little garden which was just in front of where I live; my neighbor’s daughter was with me. Children sure know how to ask plenty questions. Nobody warned me in advance. I was just there – on my own – lamenting that my maize which had barely sprouted out was dying, look at the conversation we had.
-Her-: Aunty, Why is your maize dying?
-Me-: Because there has been no rain.
-Her-: Why hasn't it rained?
-Me-: It's been a very dry season this year.
-Her-: Why is this season so dry?
-Me-: The earth is sad and the sun is getting hotter and hotter.
-Her-: Why is the earth sad and the weather always changing and changing and it does not rain when it's supposed to?
-Me-: When people are always burning bushes, cutting down plenty trees, it will make people sicker. Burning bush and cutting down plenty trees will tie heat up in the sky and make the sun to be too hot.
-Her-: Why do people keep doing those things if they know it's bad?
-Me-: Because many people rely on these activities for energy and economic reasons, and it's not easy to quickly change a bad habit.
-Her-: What can we do to help?
-Me-: We can start by planting plenty trees. Every little bit helps, you can also tell your friends to join you too.
I can assure you at the time, this conversation did not sound this simple, it went on and on and I had to enlist the help of the mom to save me from the truckload of questions. I basically ran away to save my life. LOL! Such a curious young kid!
After a while of just sitting down and going through my conversation, her voice kept ringing in my head. She kept say: Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? That’s when it all began to fall into place. I asked myself to: But, Why five Whys?
It prompted me to do some enquiry, I had seen this technique being mentioned more than a few times, but my search led me to Sakichi Toyoda, the ingenious founder of Toyota Industries who is said to have developed the Five Whys method in the early 20th century.
A little backstory:
It was the early 1900s, and manufacturing processes were becoming increasingly complex. Sakichi Toyoda realized that traditional problem-solving methods often addressed only the symptoms of issues rather than their root causes, he wanted to arrive at a more effective and lasting solution and he did it. Over time, the Five Whys became a cornerstone of the Toyota Production System (TPS).
Why five Whys?
Really, why should you ask "why?" not once, but five times! The Five Whys isn't just one of your regular mechanical tools. The uniqueness the Five Whys lies in its simplicity. It encourages a child-like curiosity and relentless pursuit of truth.
1. Identifying the Root Cause: By repeatedly asking yourself "why," you move beyond immediate symptoms to uncover the underlying causes of a problem. This helps in addressing the real issue rather than just its manifestations. It is valuable for problem-solving because it goes beyond surface-level solutions, aiming to resolve issues more effectively
2. Preventing Recurrence: Getting to the root cause allows you to implement more effective solutions. Addressing underlying issues reduces the likelihood of the problem recurring.
3. Promoting Understanding: It encourages a deeper understanding of the problem by exploring different layers of causation. This can reveal relationships and dependencies that might not be immediately obvious.
4. Encouraging Team Collaboration: It’s often used in a team setting where different perspectives can contribute to a more comprehensive understanding of the problem.
5. Simplicity and Accessibility: The simplicity of the method (just asking "why" repeatedly) makes it accessible to teams and individuals without requiring complex tools or techniques.
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How the Five Whys Works
1. Identify the Problem: Clearly define the issue you’re facing.
2. Ask Why: Question why the problem occurred.
3. Analyze the Answer: Use the answer to form the next "Why" question.
4. Repeat: Continue asking "Why" up to five times, or until the root cause is identified.
5. Address the Root Cause: Implement a solution that tackles the underlying issue.
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Let’s have a conversation about it.
I have a problem: the car won’t start.
Me: The car won’t start?
You:? Why won't the car start?
Me: The battery is dead.
You: But, Why is the battery dead?
Me: The alternator belt is broken.
You: And Why is the alternator belt broken?
Me: The alternator belt was well beyond its useful life and it was not replaced.
You: So, as the alternator belt was well beyond its useful life, Why was it not replaced?
Me: ?The car was not maintained according to the recommended service schedule.
Do you know what’s interesting about this technique? It can be applied in healthcare, finance, marriage, relationship, family, problem solving, ideating, education, personal development, professional development, business and management. Like, literally every facet of human life.
Join the conversation:
Don't stop at symptoms rather than reaching the root cause. Don't let preconceived notions can skew the questions and answers. Don't rely solely on opinions without data can lead to inaccurate conclusions. Revisit and refine your why regularly. This mindset can lead you into a journey of living a fulfilling life in your health, in your career, in your relationship and life generally. Why don't you try it out today?
See you next time Beyond Horizons. Cheers to a fulfilling life.
Lots of Love
#CriticalThinking
#Problemsolving
#PersonalDevelopment
#ProfessionalDevelopment
#FulfilllingLife
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8 个月Wow Wow wow.... This is great, very insightful and helpful. I just love that part where its beneficial in addressing the root cause of a problem..... I think our Government needs to see this.