Wants Whys and What For

Why on earth would you want to? Why are you doing that? What is your reasoning for that?

It is possible that these questions are created from a place of curiosity. It is also possible that these questions are created from a place of knowing or judgement. I have asked those questions and I have been asked those questions. There have been times when I have received those types of questions with an open heart and willingly hearing them from a place of curiosity. There have also been times that I have heard judgement and ridicule in those very same questions. It is the receiver that is misinterpreting or is it the sender that is creating the energy that is either curiosity or judgement. Say yes. They are both true at the same time. Both sender and receiver create the moment and the associated results. Neither one nor the other can create it in a vacuum. There are no victims in any conversation. Everyone who is engaged is responsible for the outcome. There is not an either/or interpretation, there is always a both/and. These questions are centered around vision and curiosity around vision allows for clarity, discipline, and consistency. When these questions are asked, the answer should be able to be clearly articulated by everyone involved on a project.

I have been spending time writing about vision and how a vision, the imaging of successful outcomes, the imagery of celebration at the result, can create and cause success. The vision, the purpose, the reasons behind the project is what will drive the day to day, moment to moment decisions. Clarity, discipline, and consistency in the vision, reason, or the purpose of the project are paramount for success. It is true for individual and it is true for projects. When an entire team is unified on the vision, when there is clarity around what the vision is, when there is discipline in keeping the vision at the center of every decision made, and when there is consistency and alignment of each team members behavior, a project will succeed. Everyone involved and impacted by the effort will know and celebrate the success. There are not winners or losers when there is a shared vision of success. The client, vendors, team members, leaders, and followers will all win when this type of alignment occurs.

This is the leaders’ primary concern. The results will come when the vision is strong. The results will come when there is mutual commitment to the vision. The results will come when the project decisions are in alignment to the vision. The results will come when everyone stands for the vision of success for the project. The language used sounds similar when talking to team members. The client, vendors, and team members are all “on the same page”. They are clear on the decision matrix, the stakeholder matrix, the communication matrix, and the escalation process. Communication begins to flow with ease as there is not a win/lose, right/wrong, or good/bad mentality. There is one outcome everyone is moving toward, a clear line of sight exists to the end point, and everyone is moving in that direction.

It may sound difficult to achieve and it may be challenging to believe that vision matters that much. Purpose or Vision is how small companies become big companies. Books written about companies and individuals who have differentiated themselves have a common thread. The way they differentiate themselves is their vision, purpose, or their “why”. Considering the key ingredient of success being vision, want, purpose, or the “what for” it would make sense to spend time being clear on that one key ingredient. It is the intention behind the actions that matters most. The actions become empty if the purpose or intention is not articulated, shared, and known by all participants. It is true for companies and people. When someone articulates their reason for creating a business, for their career, or for what they do daily they are speaking into their purpose and their vision.

I would also say that we frequently get lost in the words associated with wants, whys, and what fors. I was once told that it was not important what your vision was, just that you had one. It was not important what your intention was, it was that you walk with it for some time to allow it to teach you what you yearn to learn. The same is true for projects. The words do not have to be perfect and paragraphs to explain will not create clarity. Simplicity and a “less is more” attitude work quite well when articulating wants, whys, and what fors. Establishing a robust vision that allows all aspects of life to be aligned is exhilarating. Values become clear when they are rooted in vision. Making decisions is easier and guilt and shame begin to disappear when alignment to values driven by vision occurs.

Practice curiosity with your vision. Ask questions from a place of childlike wonder to clarify you wants, whys and what fors. Practice with each of your projects as well. Be curious about the reason for the project, for the outcome, and for what the project is creating. Stay forever in practice of being curious about the wants, whys, and what fors.