The second why changes the room
Use Five Whys to investigate work conditions without turning curiosity into blame.
The move: ask why the condition existed, not why a person failed. Five Whys can be powerful or poisonous. The difference is the target. If each question points at a person, curiosity becomes blame. If each question points at a condition, curiosity becomes learning. Start with a neutral problem statement: "The invoice was rejected because the tax code was missing." Then ask why the missing code was possible. Was the field optional? Was the source unclear? Did the handoff happen after deadline? Did the review only check totals? Each answer should connect to the previous one and move one layer…
Sign up free — one personalized lesson every day, matched to your role and goals.
Already have an account? Sign in