Thread by @dklineii

Root Cause Analysis (aka The 5 Whys) is a common consulting tactic.

But it can actually fuel personal development.

I've run 100's of these sessions and learned one key truth:

The 6th Why is the one that matters 🧵

1/ The 5 Whys?

It's a diagnostic problem solving technique popularized by Sakichi Toyoda, the Japanese industrialist & Toyota founder.

I practiced it at Bridgewater where it was the critical inflection point in Ray Dalio's 5-step process.

2/ The Theory

Ask Why questions to identify the underlying root cause of an issue.

Then make changes to improve outcomes in the future.

The deeper you dig, the higher the leverage of the fix.

Put simply: Don't treat the symptom, cure the disease.

3/ This practice has taken hold far beyond manufacturing:

4/ Why it works

In a word: Compounding

Treat the root cause effectively and you:

✅ Deal with the immediate problem

✅ Prevent future recurrences of the issue

✅ Address other seemingly unrelated problems

One fix to address many problems.

5/ Is it really that easy?

Actually, no.

Why questions are open-ended and can go a number of directions.

You definitely have the potential for a fractal of nonsense.

So be honest with each Why:

Is your answer the big deal or a distraction?

6/ Example

Customer abandoned a purchase on your site:

Why? They want a promo code
Why? They think your price is too high
Why? We didn't do market research
Why? We're understaffed
Why? I haven't filled the position

Magic, right?

Well, almost.

7/ The 6th Why

Do you notice what happens as we move through the Whys?

💡 They get specific -> We progress from what happened to what caused it.

💡 And more personal -> Groups narrow to individuals.

There's one more Why & it's uncomfortable.

But that's where the growth is.

8/ Back to our example

Why haven't you filled the position?

❌ Maybe you designed an unattractive role

❌ Perhaps you didn't see the demand coming

❌ Or you are losing people faster than you can hire

These answers are raw & imply something about YOU is causing the issue.

9/ This isn't just about work

I can't get in shape

Why? No time to workout
Why? Day is packed with work
Why? My boss keeps piling on more
Why? B/c I haven't told her no
Why? B/c I can't disappoint her

Why? B/c I need the money

Wait, it's a money issue not a fitness problem?

10/ Now what?

Don't overreact to one mistake. We all make them.

Do watch for patterns of mistakes. These tend to reveal true weaknesses.

For these, consider how to best address:

- setup guardrails
- fix your habits
- automate
- eliminate
- delegate

If you found this personal improvement method helpful, please share the first tweet.

And follow me @dklineii if you're interested in more practical guides for your career and lifelong learning.

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