There is one question that we – as creative and communication teams – should be obsessed with: “WHY?”
Why do we do what we do?
Why have we always done things this way?
Why have we not tried doing things different?
Why not?
Why?
A simple four character question that changes everything. Why is challenging and inquisitive. Why initiates action. Unlike its sisters How and When, Why begs us to start and change things. Why allows people to understand the purpose behind what we do, not just the how. Why is a chance to cast vision. Why motivates and energizes people to want to be involved.
In our field, we should be asking Why with obsession. We need to understand why we are communicating a message, why we are using these methods to communicate, why this is important, and why people want to know about the idea in the first place.
When we see that our departments are not creating enough momentum – when we are not executing at our best – we have to start by asking Why. Why have we lost vision. Why have we ended up behind the 8 ball? Why are we not delivering our best work?
Understand the power of Why, but never abuse this powerful question just to deflect your responsibilities. Asking why can create direction, but should never be a shield.
This is a great reminder. Thanks for posting. I think I am always asking the why questions in my head, but sometimes forget to communicate them to the people on my team. “why is a chance to cast vision,” is a great way to reframe it. Great stuff.
So true. We can get stuck in a rut of doing things the way we’ve always done them without bothering to really look closely at the “why”. What worked in the past may not work the best anymore because the “why” no longer applies…
Asking “why” will help us stay innovative and creative instead of being trapped by what worked in the past.
I truly believe without knowing the why, you are powerless. Great post!