Not Just Another ScLoHo: It Begins With A Question

Justin brings up a point here that I find myself asking clients when they are asking me to do something for them (whether it is web design, seo or marketing).  And what I’ve found is that by asking that question (why?) several times, I can peel the onion enough to get to the real reason why they want to do something.

And sometimes, what they want me to do isn’t going to accomplish what they think it is going to accomplish.

justinmwhitaker:

scloho:

Sometime after we learn to talk, we learn to question.

Why?

No, I’m not asking why,

I’m telling you that the question we all ask is:

Why?

As parents we’ve been driven to near-tears by the persistent toddler who wants an answer to: Why?…..

Anyone that has gone through the “Why?” stage with their toddler knows the power of this simple, three letter word.

And yet, we soon abandon the use of that word once we hear “Because that’s the way it is!” enough.

I think Scott Howard is on to something. All too often, we forget to ask why we are doing something, or why something is important, all to secure in the knowledge that once we’ve obtained the who, what, where, and when, that they why is implied.

I’m no longer sure it is.

We do an awful lot of busywork because someone asked us to, or because of where we sit in the bureaucracy, or because a deadline is looming…busywork that I am pretty certain would not withstand the scrutiny of a toddler armed with the persistence of WHY?

Maybe if we started asking this question again, really asking it, digging our heels in and pushing back on the becauses with our whys, we might get beyond the busy work, and on to the real, vital, and lasting work?

Source: scloho