I’m being a bit cheeky when I ask this, but: What better way to kickstart your why than to ask… “Why?”

Five times.

In some cases, “why” is more of a statement than a question. It’s a reason for being. It’s a mission, a vision, a purpose.

In other cases, “why?” is more of an interrogation, a way to get to the bottom of something, to get to the root cause.

This concept of “Five Whys” as it applies to the business world was, according to Wikipedia, originally developed by inventor/manufacturer Sakichi Toyoda as a way to “explore the cause-and-effect relationships underlying a particular problem.”

Very simply put: When something went wrong in the process of making something, asking “Why (did this happen)?” five times got Toyoda as close to the root cause as possible, and gave him a problem to solve.

Sticking with Wikipedia, here’s an example of Five Whys at play:

An example of a problem is: The vehicle will not start.

  1. Why? – The battery is dead. (First why)
  2. Why? – The alternator is not functioning. (Second why)
  3. Why? – The alternator belt has broken. (Third why)
  4. Why? – The alternator belt was well beyond its useful service life and not replaced. (Fourth why)
  5. Why? – The vehicle was not maintained according to the recommended service schedule. (Fifth why, a root cause)

If this is you… ouch. You can see how not maintaining your car can lead to bigger issues with no notice. (You don’t want to be stuck in the parking lot at work in the winter in below-freezing temps with the sun setting at 5:02 p.m., just because you didn’t maintain your car.)

How do we apply this process to kickstarting our business’ why?

By interrogating what we sell, how we sell it, and who we are–especially in the eyes of our customers and their needs.

In this case, it doesn’t need to start with a problem to solve, but what we end with is a better idea of how we solve problems for our customers.

Indulge me for a minute, as this is my favorite example of a “Five Whys” as well as a “Job To Be Done.” Let’s say you make hardware for construction, like Stanley or Milwaukee or Dewalt. And you sell quarter-inch drill bits. (1)

People don’t want quarter-inch drill bits. They need a quarter-inch hole. (2)

But they don’t need a quarter-inch hole. They need to hang a shelf. (3)

But they don’t need to hang a shelf. They need to pick up books or display decor. (4)

But they don’t need to pick up books or display decor. They need a sense of home, comfort and safety. (5)

There. We just got to the root cause for why people buy quarter-inch drill bits. Not because they need a tiny piece of metal lying around the house. Because, when you track it all the way through the Five Whys process, they need home to feel safe and comfortable.

So if you’re Stanley or Milwaukee or Dewalt, you’re selling safety and comfort. That’s your why.

At least it should be. If it’s not, you’re just selling pieces of metal.

If it is your why–if you can use the Five Whys method to interrogate what you do, how you do it and for whom you do it–you’re now selling to people whose values match yours, and you’re not just creating sales, you’re building relationships and loyalty.