The Kids Who Ask Why Too Much | Project Management Lessons

During my on again off again relationship with reading books, I occasionally find inspiration to write about topics that may help others. 

Today's book inspiration came from: Tribe of Mentors by Tim Ferriss - Section: Mike Maples, Jr 

I was that kid who would get scorned looks from teachers and parents for asking why to almost everything. Sure, some of it was being an obnoxious youth, but there really was a deep desire to understand the world around me at the core of each pointed question.

That same curiosity did not end as I navigated the business world. In fact, the business world often has things that make even less sense than the days of growing up as a curious kid. Old processes and habits are passed down from past leaders and never questioned in any constructive way.

Unlike in my younger days, I have found that the approach of listening first to understand the why behind a process will get you much further and earn you a few less scornful glances.

When old processes or systems are questioned, it can bring emotional or defensive responses from the old guard, who are often not trying to engage in something that they accepted as truth long ago.

The inspiration from today’s book takes this common problem and provides what I find to be a very helpful framework that I use for personal, relationship, and work‑related issues.

It's called asking the 5 Whys. 

Work example:

• Q. Why did we miss the launch date of our new product?

• A. Marketing was not ready with the promotion package.

• Q. Why was Marketing not ready?

• A. They got the final messaging and assets from Product a week later than planned.

• Q. Why did Product deliver the assets late? 

• A. The feature scope changed mid-sprint, but the launch date stayed the same.

• Q. Why did the launch date stay the same after the scope changed? 

• A. The PMO did not have a process for revisiting timelines when scope shifts.

• Q. Why is there no process to revisit timelines?

• A. As a company, we have never defined who owns updating dates when priorities change across teams.

In this scenario, what started as a possible witch hunt for the marketing team ended up revealing a deeper project management issue that can now be addressed.

With the buy-in of your team, you can begin to engage in logical truth-seeking together so the issue turns into a problem‑solving exercise instead of an emotional battle of finger‑pointing. The sense of shared discovery helps diffuse the defensive part of our collective brains. This can help avoid a collective witch hunt, which often happens when tensions run high in business and is never fun, bringing out the worst in everyone.

For fun, I just went through the 5 Whys for my personal problem and landed on a much deeper-rooted truth.

Personal Example:

• Q. Why did I miss my book reading goal for the 25th year in a row?

• A. You like the idea of reading books and how smart it makes you look more than actually reading.

• Q. Why do you like the idea of reading books of reading books to make you look smart?

• A. Because you want to be perceived that you are smart and have your life together.

• Q. Why do you want to be perceived as smart with your life together?

• A. Because you place your value from a young age in appearing smart to others.

• Q. Why do you place your value in appearing smart since youth?

• A. Because it felt like my best way to be seen and gain acceptance from my family and peers. (It was sure not going to happen athletically or through dashing good looks)

Within 4 whys, I was able to get to the root reason of why I buy books to look smart. Upon reflection I have found the books I actually finish are the ones that hook my attention within the first few pages. Now I will do my best to read the first few pages of any book recommendation that comes my way to see if I will connect with the book before it becomes another casualty on my shelf. I will ask myself, do I care more about posting the picture of the cover, or am I genuinely interested in what this author has to say?

The kids who ask why too much might grow up to be the adults who change old schools of thought.

Did you read this far? I would love to hear your thoughts on this topic. Leave a comment or email me!