The Dangers of Why
What are the dangers of why?
Hey, it’s Anwell, and this is Soft Power Leaders, by Brantio. We help brilliant women in Biotech and Pharma gain influence.
When problem-solving, it’s crucial to understand the underlying root cause. One popular method to get at the root cause is to ask “why?” three times.
The problem with asking your team “why” three times is that it can sound accusatory. “Why did you wear that shirt?” “Why did you say that?” “Why did you approve that project?”
You have to be careful with your tone, or you might end up like Socrates.
But if you swap “why” for “what,” something magical happens. “What led you to wear that shirt?” “What led you to say that?” “What convinced you to approve that project?”
Instead of questioning the person and the motive, you’re acknowledging that there was care and thought taken in making the decision. You are curious about what led to the decision. You move to the same side of the table.
One word can make all the difference.
How might you use “what” instead of “why” in your next meaningful conversation?
Thanks for listening! Now go make it happen.
- Anwell Tsai
What are the dangers of why?
Hey, it’s Anwell, and this is Soft Power Leaders, by Brantio. We help brilliant women in Biotech and Pharma gain influence.
When problem-solving, it’s crucial to understand the underlying root cause. One popular method to get at the root cause is to ask “why?” three times.
The problem with asking your team “why” three times is that it can sound accusatory. “Why did you wear that shirt?” “Why did you say that?” “Why did you approve that project?”
You have to be careful with your tone, or you might end up like Socrates.
But if you swap “why” for “what,” something magical happens. “What led you to wear that shirt?” “What led you to say that?” “What convinced you to approve that project?”
Instead of questioning the person and the motive, you’re acknowledging that there was care and thought taken in making the decision. You are curious about what led to the decision. You move to the same side of the table.
One word can make all the difference.
How might you use “what” instead of “why” in your next meaningful conversation?
Thanks for listening! Now go make it happen.
- Anwell Tsai
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