This post has been contributed by Mark Stretton. Thanks very much Mark.
Anyone who is a parent, or who regularly spends time with children, or who is young enough to remember their own childhood will recognise the phrase "but why..?"
Why is the sky blue? Why is the grass green? Why does it get dark at night? And then, however comprehensive the answer that follows may be, it is punctuated by the incredibly challenging "but why?" question!
The answers are rather more complex than the innocence of the question. However the reason for the question remains the same and continues to be relevant at any stage in life. To seek an understanding, reason or purpose helps us to learn and develop, and fuel a desire to ask further unanswered questions which stimulates personal growth as we make our way through life.
However, as adults we can easily fall into the trap of not asking the question “why” as often as we should. Instead we may begin to accept people’s actions, orders and opinions, becoming conditioned by the status quo. This is dangerous for those in a position of leadership as they could become guilty of hindering the learning and development of the people in the team around them.
A colleague once said to me “My team have not performed for the last 2 months. I told them my plan and what they needed to do but they just don’t seem to be following what I said, I can't understand it.”
Their statement raises some interesting questions -
- Has that manager fallen into the trap of telling his team what they need to do without providing a compelling reason why?
- Did that manager seek out the reasons why his team would feel the plan was important to them?
- Could that manager have involved his team in constructing the plan to create the reason why for themselves?
Even the greatest leaders don't expect people to follow their direction based on blind credulity - the reason "why" is always of paramount importance and must always be communicated clearly, or arrived at as a team, before moving forward. By providing people with the opportunity to understand "why" early enough in any action, process or goal, we build confidence and belief that they are contributing to something worthwhile and making a difference, and therefore they are more likely to own it and deliver it successfully.
