5 Whys

This tool was first introduced to me when I was a business consultant on a client project at GE Medical in Wisconsin. General Electric, under the leadership of CEO Jack Welch, was implementing the Six Sigma process for ensuring quality manufacturing of their CT scans and MRI machines. I was working on the project as a change management consultant helping them understand why Six Sigma was important to implement. In Six Sigma there is a tool called the "5 Whys" and 25 years later, I am still using this tool in my life and I want to share it with you today. At GE Medical, we used this tool to make decisions that helped improve patient care, but for each of us, it can help clarify what we really want in our lives.

If you have a desire for something, a decision to make, an investment to analyze, a conflict you want to resolve, or an opinion you want to defend, Ask yourself 5 Whys and you will gain clarity in digging deeper into your thoughts on the topic.

Here are three examples so you can see what this might look like in action:

I am thinking about getting a dog.
Why?
Because I want companionship and something to take care of.
Why?
I need a new sense of purpose and meaning.
Why?
Because my kids are leaving for college and I feel lost.
Why?
I love being a mother and don't know how to turn that off.
Why?
Because I have a lot of love to give and I need somewhere for it to go.


I want to feel calm.
Why?
I want less stress in my mind and less tension in my body.
Why?
Because it makes me agitated and I snap at people when I'm agitated.
Why?
I'm not sure but I just want it to go away.
Why?
Because I want my kids and wife to want to be around me.
Why?
They are the people I love the most and if I am more peaceful, they will want to be around me.


I want to go back to school to become a teacher.
Why?
My current career has lost its meaning for me and I want to help kids.
Why?
Because I see how much kids are hurting and I want to help them.
Why?
I can be a loving adult in their lives and can give them hope.
Why?
I want to encourage them to live into their potential.
Why?
Because if more kids have hope and encouragement, they can change society for the better.


This tool will help you get at the root of your desires, decisions, values, beliefs, and opinions. And, it might provide some very interesting insights beneath the surface of your brilliant complicated brain.

Dig a little deeper by asking "Why?" and you will find the gold.

Clarity brings peace.

Sending love to you as you explore a little deeper.