On What and Why

Always be clear about What and Why.

The 'Big What' is your overall end result, the vision or objective you want to achieve. 'What' gives you direction and focus, whether the detail of how you will achieve it is clear or not.

'Why' is the reason that this end result matters to you and/or your organisation. 'Why' helps everyone understand the motivation for doing the 'Big What', explaining the style in which it is to be achieved and the values that you will work by.

We often talk about 'Big What & Why' in a leadership context, referring to the overall clarity of direction, objectives and culture. It's certainly a foundation for successful leadership. However, getting What and Why clear brings benefits in all circumstances, personal and corporate, whether you lead a team or not.

In busy organisations - probably like the one you work for? - the drive to act, do stuff, keep busy can seem more valuable than thinking ahead. The little things - like "What do we do next?" - win out with their urgency over "Where are we going and why?"

So what's in it for you? Why would you take time out to think rather than do, even when there's urgent stuff about? Here's our reckoning of the top ten benefits. How many of these would you like?

1. Build confidence in what you're saying

If you're clear about what you want and why it matters, it's a great deal easier to speak up. You're free of foggy confusion and have your own understanding of the value of what you saying - whether it's in conversation, presenting, raising a point in a meeting, or standing your ground.

2. Make more consistent decisions and find decision making easier

With What & Why clear, you can quickly eliminate options that don't help you get what you're after and spot the options that have good potential. What and Why help you keep all your decisions aligned and contributing towards what you want.

3. Speak with credibility, congruence

A clear focus, understandable reasoning and consistent choices make what you say more credible and congruent. Even if someone disagrees with your point, they will be able to understand what you're saying, and pinpoint where they differ.

4. Reduce stress levels (for you and your colleagues)

Confusion, no sense of progress, pressure without a clear solution - these are likely symptoms when the 'Big What & Why' are unclear or not communicated. The solution usually lies not in working harder or soldiering on ... but in finding a clear purpose and direction.

5. Get other people to understand you, follow, respond

The absence of a 'Big What & Why' makes it really hard for people to understand you and follow you. Once you are clear, if they want or value something that aligns with what you want, you'll get a positive response.

6. Handle ad-hoc questions smoothly

Find it hard to handle questions on the spot? When you're clear about where you are going and why, you have a thought-through framework that you can use. You can quickly see how a question relates to your goal and add details or ideas that could be useful. You've already done much of the thinking upfront.

7. Build and sustain motivation in yourself and others

Two fundamental contributors to motivation are, you can guess, knowing What and Why. No matter what skills and capabilities you have, if you don't like or don't understand where you are heading and why, it's hard to progress. Once you know the direction, it is "Why?" that is key to your motivation - doing it for reasons you value.

8. Enable others to make their contribution

Without a clear 'Big What & Why', contributions can be well meant but misdirected. With them, anyone can offer suggestions or take actions as they are in line with what you want. You can share the load, harness more skills and ideas.

9. Get above the detail, see what's important

If you have a talent for detail, it can be hard to see the overall picture. Referring back to What and Why help you keep the detail aligned with the overall end result.

10. Leave space for a creative "How do we achieve that?"

We haven't mentioned the "How" till now because it often becomes a limiter. Practicalities, constraints, low belief in what's possible, not knowing details yet - all distract you from your 'Big What'. So start with What and Why. When everyone understands that, your whole organisation can contribute to finding how to achieve it and help address whatever practicalities and obstacles might be in the way.

One final point - if you are one of the happy people with a clear 'Big What & Why', the final thing to check is: Have you told everyone that might need to know?

To find out more please contact us or return to Beacons home page

Sarah Maliphant, August 2011