Why the 'Why' is Critical to Explain
Without it you might very well fail to inspire buy-in from others
“One of the most critical steps that all leaders must take is to communicate the ‘why,’” says former Navy SEAL officer Jocko Willink, now an author and podcaster.
In depth, he is the co-author of the New York Times bestseller Extreme Ownership: How U.S. Navy SEALs Lead and Win, Dichotomy of Leadership, host of popular Jocko Podcast and co-founder, CEO and leadership instructor at Echelon Front.
“The most important thing we have to communicate to teams from a leadership position is why they’re doing what they’re doing,” Willink stresses.
Specifically, effectively and successfully doing this to inspire people to willingly go along with us can be overlooked and often is not done well even if it is addressed.
“To make sound decisions and provide effective guidance, it is essential to establish a clear understanding of the underlying purpose — or the ‘why,’ says Wanita Mercer, Ph.D., and the founder and CEO of Lead My Heart, an executive coaching and consulting company that helps these professionals and their teams live and lead with purpose, passion, and power.
She explains the “how” behind about what Willink is alluding.
“Leaders should initiate this process by ensuring that the rationale behind their directives aligns with the organization’s mission or vision,” Mercer says, because, “Failure to do so may make it challenging to justify the allocation of time and resources to tasks or projects that do not support the organization's objectives, which could be both difficult and irresponsible.”
Another shortcoming, often common, and more problematic than leaders understand actually prevents the buy-in and readiness expected and demanded.
“Overloading your team with unnecessary projects or tasks can negatively impact morale and lead to resistance towards your instructions,” Mercer offers as a reminder.
There are two additional steps Mercer says are important and beneficial.
One, is for leaders “to encourage their team members to connect the purpose behind the directive with their personal aspirations in their work,” she says.
The reason this is important, Mercer states, is “because the ‘why’ alone can only motivate individuals who resonate with it.”
And it will inspire some yet not everyone and it’s vital to realize and accept this truism.
“Often, this aspect of the ‘why’ is overlooked,” Mercer says, “Therefore, it is vital to establish a connection between the organization's underlying purpose and each team member's individual goals.”
This helps leaders and the organization because, “When the team is intrinsically motivated to achieve a specific objective or complete a task that holds personal significance, they are more likely not only to meet expectations but also to surpass them,” she has learned.
Second, it is additionally beneficial to connect the ‘why’ to a recent event or relatable anecdote that your team is aware of to stress the importance of your initiative,” Mercer says. The rationale? “This step reiterates the relevance of your purpose beyond the organization, establishing the bigger picture,” she points out.
In summation, “The critical steps for communicating the ‘why’ include aligning directives with the organization's mission, connecting the ‘why’ to individual team members' goals and reinforcing the importance of the initiative by linking it to relatable anecdotes or recent events, thus emphasizing the broader significance beyond the organization's scope,” Mercer says.
“Ask yourself why your team should share your excitement?” Willink advises.
Leadership of organizations may not stop and consider that wisdom and responsibility.
While this can be a useful thought experiment, it is not ideal and may not even produce the desired results.
“It would be quite challenging for a leader to answer such a question on their own unless they have the special skill of reading minds or knowing each team member's excitements,” Mercer says.
To her, “A more effective approach is to engage directly with the team and pose the question, ‘What aspects of this initiative excite you?’”
Here’s why that can be of more assistance to a leader and organization.
“This inquiry prompts each team member to discover their own sources of inspiration, even when faced with challenging circumstances,” Mercer says.
“Rather than a leader contemplating this question themselves, prompting team members to identify what motivates or enthuses them is the way to drive the team forward.”
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