The 5 Whys strategy helps leaders understand the root cause of a problem, so that they can identify solutions that make a lasting change.

🎧 Listen to this on Ep19 of My Business Guide

Do the same headaches keep hitting your business? Are 'quick fixes' only masking the problem and making things worse? It's time to investigate beyond the surface and uncover the root cause(s) of your business problems.

What is the 5 Whys?

The 5 Whys is a simple, iterative questioning technique that helps uncover the underlying cause of a problem by asking "Why?" five times (or as many times as needed).

The technique was created by Sakichi Toyoda, the founder of Toyota, in the early 20th century. Toyoda, often called the "King of Japanese Inventors", was a visionary entrepreneur who built the foundation for what became the Toyota Motor Corporation.

Benefits of using this technique:

Quickly moves past surface-level symptoms to the root cause.
Encourages critical thinking and self-reflection.
Leads to more effective, lasting solutions.

How it works

Sakichi Toyoda created the 5 Whys to pinpoint the root causes of manufacturing glitches in his textile business. His method evolved into a cornerstone of Toyota’s production success by driving efficiency and quality across its global factories.

State the Problem: Clearly define the issue you’re addressing.
Ask "Why?": Ask why the problem is happening and write down the answer.
Repeat: Use the answer as the basis for the next "Why?" question. Repeat up to five times (or until the root cause is clear).
Identify a Solution: Once the root cause is found, brainstorm a fix.

Taiichi Ohno (pictured above) was a Japanese industrial engineer and a pivotal figure in the development of the Toyota Production System (TPS). He gave a famous illustration of how the 5 Whys plays out in manufacturing a car:

Problem: The machine stopped.
Why 1: Why? The circuit overloaded.
Why 2: Why? The oil pump failed.
Why 3: Why? No oil reached the pump.
Why 4: Why? The filter was clogged with debris.
Why 5: Why? There was no regular maintenance schedule.

Root Cause: Lack of a maintenance routine.

Solution: Implement a daily checklist for machine upkeep.

Why that specific number? Five "Why?" questions typically uncover an actionable root cause without getting too abstract. It avoids surface-level answers ("the machine broke") or overthinking ("why does machinery exist?"). Both Toyoda and Ohno found that five questions strikes the balance in practice.

Here's an example in a sales meeting context:

Problem: Sales are down this quarter.
Why 1: Why? We’re not getting enough leads.
Why 2: Why? The latest marketing campaign flopped.
Why 3: Why? It launched two weeks late from the promo window.
Why 4: Why? The design team missed their deadline.
Why 5: Why? They were juggling too many projects without clear priorities.

Root Cause: No prioritisation system for the design team.

Solution: Set up a weekly priority meeting to streamline workloads.

Here's another example in a cafe:

Problem: Sales at a local café have dropped over the past month.
Why 1: Why? Fewer customers are coming in.
Why 2: Why? Regulars aren’t returning as often.
Why 3: Why? They’ve complained about longer wait times for coffee.
Why 4: Why? The barista is struggling to keep up during peak hours.
Why 5: Why? The cafe hasn’t replaced a staff member who left last month.

Root Cause: Understaffing during busy periods.

Solution: Hire a part-time barista to cover peak shifts or redistribute tasks among current staff.

The 5 Whys strategy helps leaders understand the root cause of a problem, so that they can identify solutions that make a lasting change.

The 5 Whys is a simple, yet effective technique used in lean management to find the root cause of problems and improve performance. The next time you spot a recurring problem or feel like you're only applying a quick fix to something, start interrogating with the 5 Whys.

ACTION STEP: Pick one issue you’re facing this week. Run it through the 5 Whys and share your root cause and solution with your team, and your business coach!

🎧 Listen to this on ep19 of My Business Guide