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<v Speaker 1>Helping leaders motivate their people to a higher level of

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<v Speaker 1>performance through strong human relations, team building, and goal achieving.

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<v Speaker 1>This is the seven Minute Leadership Podcast with your host

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<v Speaker 1>Paul fella Aledo.

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<v Speaker 2>Hello everyone, and welcome to the seven Minute Leadership Podcast.

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<v Speaker 2>It's episode two nineteen and today we're diving into a

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<v Speaker 2>transformative tool that can revolutionize the way you lead, solve problems,

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<v Speaker 2>and inspire your team. It's called the five whyse a

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<v Speaker 2>simple yet powerful method to uncover the root cause of challenges,

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<v Speaker 2>drive innovation, and create a culture of continuous improvement. So

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<v Speaker 2>the five Wise is a problem solving technique developed by

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<v Speaker 2>Sakichi Toyota, a Japanese industrialist, and it became a cornerstone

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<v Speaker 2>of Toyota's success and is now a widely used tool

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<v Speaker 2>in leadership and management. And the premise is simple. When

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<v Speaker 2>faced with a problem, ask why five times or as

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<v Speaker 2>many times as it takes to uncover the root cause.

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<v Speaker 2>The method isn't just for operational challenges. It's a mindset

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<v Speaker 2>that leaders can use to foster deeper understanding and accountability.

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<v Speaker 2>And as leaders, we often address symptoms of problems instead

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<v Speaker 2>of their underlying causes. The five Whys forces us to

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<v Speaker 2>dig deeper and avoid quick fixes that don't last. When

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<v Speaker 2>we lead with this level of inquiry, we empower our

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<v Speaker 2>teams to think critically, innovate, and take ownership of solutions.

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<v Speaker 2>So here's an example of this. So let's say you're

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<v Speaker 2>the manager and you go to a shift supervisor or

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<v Speaker 2>someone because the team is struggling with low morale. You

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<v Speaker 2>would say to them why is morale low? And you

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<v Speaker 2>would get back because employees feel unappreciated. Well, why do

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<v Speaker 2>they feel unappreciated because they rarely receive positive feedback? Why

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<v Speaker 2>do they rarely receive positive feedback because managers are too

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<v Speaker 2>focused on deadlines to recognize contributions. Why are managers so

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<v Speaker 2>focused on deadlines? Because we don't have enough bandwidth to

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<v Speaker 2>meet our project goals. Why don't we have enough bandwidth

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<v Speaker 2>because we've taken on too many projects without prioritizing effectively.

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<v Speaker 2>So in this example, the root cause isn't just a

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<v Speaker 2>lack of feedback, it's poor prioritization. Now, as a leader,

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<v Speaker 2>you can address the real issue by reevaluating workloads and

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<v Speaker 2>creating spaces for positive reinforcement. So start with the problem.

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<v Speaker 2>Clearly identify the issue, make sure it's specific and measurable.

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<v Speaker 2>Be curious, not judgmental. Approach each why with curiosity. This

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<v Speaker 2>isn't about blame, but it's about understanding. Involve your team

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<v Speaker 2>because collaboration is key. When your team helps answer the why,

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<v Speaker 2>they're more invested in the solution. Take action on the

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<v Speaker 2>root cause once it's identified. Address the root cause with

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<v Speaker 2>actionable steps. Ensure your team is part of implementing the solution,

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<v Speaker 2>and reflect and improve After resolving the issue, reflect on

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<v Speaker 2>what you've learned and how the process can be applied

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<v Speaker 2>to future challenges. So the five whys is more than

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<v Speaker 2>a tool. It's a mindset shift. It challenges you to

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<v Speaker 2>think deeper, lead smarter, and inspire greater accountability within your team.

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<v Speaker 2>When you lead with curiosity and clarity, you create a

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<v Speaker 2>culture that isn't afraid of problems, but sees them as

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<v Speaker 2>opportunities for growth. If you're a parent, your children have

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<v Speaker 2>known the power of the five whys from a very

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<v Speaker 2>early age. Think of every time you ask them to

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<v Speaker 2>clean their room and they respond, why because I said so? Why.

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<v Speaker 2>This has been the seven minute leadership podcast, and I

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<v Speaker 2>thank you for listening for more.

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<v Speaker 1>Paul fell of Alito podcasts. Visit Paulfellowalito dot com.