FREE online courses on Change Management - The Change Process as Problem
Solving and Problem Finding - Change as a Why Problem
Ends and means are relative notions, not absolutes; that is,
something is an end or a means only in relation to something else. Thus, chains
and networks of ends-means relationships often have to be traced out before one
finds the “true” ends of a change effort. In this regard, “why” questions prove
extremely useful.
Consider the following hypothetical dialogue with yourself as
an illustration of tracing out ends-means relationships.
Why do people need to be more creative?
I'll tell you why! Because we have to change the way we do
things and we need ideas about how to do that.
Why do we have to change the way we do things?
Because they cost too much and take too long.
Why do they cost too much?
Because we pay higher wages than any of our competitors.
Why do we pay higher wages than our competitors?
Because our productivity used to be higher, too, but now it's
not.
Eureka! The true aim is to improve productivity!
No it isn't; keep going.
Why does productivity need to be improved?
To increase profits.
Why do profits need to be increased?
To improve earnings per share.
Why do earnings per share need to be improved?
To attract additional capital.
Why is additional capital needed?
We need to fund research aimed at developing the next
generation of products.
Why do we need a new generation of products?
Because our competitors are rolling them out faster than we
are and gobbling up market share.
Oh, so that's why we need to reduce cycle times.
Hmm. Why do things take so long?
To ask “why” questions is to get at the ultimate purposes of
functions and to open the door to finding new and better ways of performing
them. Why do we do what we do? Why do we do it the way we do it? Asking “why”
questions also gets at the ultimate purposes of people, but that's a different
matter altogether, a “political” matter, and one we'll not go into in this
paper.
