Hot take: I think asking 'why' is better than asking 'how' for most problems

Had a client in Boise get mad when their new tree fell over after a storm. I asked why they planted it, not how, and found they ignored the clay soil warning. Anyone else find starting with 'why' gets you further?

2 comments

2 Comments

wrenh796d ago

Isn't it crazy how often the 'why' shows the real roadblock? Like with your tree, asking how to fix it just gets a new stake, but asking why it fell gets to the soil issue. I mean, you can have the perfect plan for something, but if the reason behind it is off, it's all just a band-aid. Feels like starting with 'why' saves so much time fixing the same problem over and over.

miles7076d ago

Last year I had a leak in my kitchen that ruined a cabinet. I kept drying it out and sealing it until a plumber asked why the wall was wet in the first place. Turned out a pipe behind the wall had a tiny crack. You're right, wrenh79, chasing the how just had me fixing the same spot every few months. Getting to the why finally stopped it for good. It's a simple shift but it changes everything.