The Final Warning Hug
The Final Warning Hug: How the 5 Whys Can Transform Leadership
Introduction
Leadership is often tested in moments of tension — when rules are broken, when trust is strained, and when the easy option is to react quickly and decisively. But great leadership is not about reacting to symptoms; it’s about uncovering causes.
One of the simplest yet most powerful tools for doing this is the 5 Whys. At first glance, it looks almost too simple: you ask “Why?” repeatedly until you reach the root cause of a problem. But beneath its simplicity lies a profound method for uncovering truth, building trust, and creating lasting solutions.
In this post, I’ll share a story from my own leadership journey — a moment when I had every reason to fire someone on the spot, but instead chose to dig deeper. That choice not only solved the problem but also created one of the most memorable leadership moments of my career. Along the way, we’ll explore how the 5 Whys works, why it’s effective, how to use it, and what pitfalls to avoid.
The Story: The Final Warning Hug
Years ago, I was working as a supervisor on a large oil and gas project. Together with a few other supervisors, I was responsible for more than 1,000 workers. On projects like this, rules are strict — and perhaps the most important one of all was that every worker had to be reachable on the radio at all times.
One day, one of my coordinators told me she couldn’t reach a worker. His radio was off. This wasn’t the first time.
I met with her to hear her version of the story. To make sure I understood the full picture, I used the simplest but most powerful word in leadership: “Why?” Each time I asked, I went a little deeper. By the end, I had her perspective clear in my mind.
At this point, the worker was already in serious trouble. There were only two possible explanations: either his battery had died, or he had turned the radio off deliberately. Since a dying battery gives plenty of warning, the logical conclusion was that he had switched it off himself.
I tried to reach him on the radio myself, but with no success. So I waited until his shift ended. When I saw him leaving the site, I asked him to step aside with me so we could talk privately.
The first thing I did was establish the facts. He admitted immediately: yes, he had turned the radio off on purpose. At that moment, I could have fired him on the spot. But I knew that turning off the radio was only the symptom. The real question was: why?
So I asked. And then I asked again. And again. Each “why” took us deeper. Soon, I had his version of the story.
Now I had two perspectives — his and his leader’s — plus the cold facts. And what I saw was not just a broken rule, but a broken relationship. A conflict between him and his leader had escalated quickly, creating a toxic situation.
Based on the facts alone, I had to act. I gave him a final warning: “If you ever do this again, you will be fired.” But I also knew that the real problem wasn’t solved.
The project was nearing its end, and both of them would leave the company when it finished. There wasn’t time for a full conflict resolution process. I needed a solution that would work immediately.
That evening, I called the main office. The HR team wasn’t happy — they had already spent the whole day balancing manpower for the next shift. But I insisted: this was important. Eventually, they agreed to help.
The next morning, when the workers arrived, I was there. And so was the man I had warned the night before. But now, he had been reassigned to a different leader for the remainder of the project.
When he saw me, he walked straight over and gave me a hug — a big, relieved hug. With a smile, he told me this was the first time he felt truly heard as an employee. For the first time, he felt that a leader believed him and cared for him.
The Leadership Lesson
The 5 Whys isn’t just a problem-solving tool. It’s a way of thinking. It reminds us that what looks like the problem is often just the surface. By digging deeper, we uncover the human factors, the conflicts, the systems, and the context that really drive behavior.
In this case, the “problem” was a worker turning off his radio. But the root cause was a broken relationship with his leader. Addressing only the symptom would have solved nothing. Addressing the cause created relief, trust, and a safer workplace.
That’s the first lesson: leaders must look beyond symptoms to uncover the real issues.
But there’s another lesson here too. By choosing not to fire him, I didn’t just solve a problem — I gained loyalty. That hug wasn’t only relief; it was trust restored. In that moment, he felt heard, respected, and treated fairly. And when employees experience fairness and care, they often respond with stronger commitment and loyalty to their leaders.
There’s a deep body of research behind this — from psychological safety (Edmondson, 1999) to organizational justice (Colquitt, 2001) and social exchange theory (Blau, 1964) — showing that when leaders balance accountability with fairness, they don’t just fix problems, they build loyalty. I’ll explore that science in a future post. For now, it’s enough to say this: when leaders treat people with fairness and care, they don’t just prevent problems — they create commitment.
How to Use the 5 Whys
The 5 Whys is simple to learn and apply. Here’s how you can use it in your own leadership practice:
Define the Problem Clearly
Write down a specific, measurable, and agreed-upon problem statement. Avoid vague or blame-laden language.
Example: Instead of “Our deliveries are terrible,” say “In the past month, 30% of deliveries have been more than 24 hours late.”
Ask the First “Why?”
Why did this problem happen? Write down the answer.
Ask the Next “Why?”
Take the answer from step 2 and ask “Why?” again. Write down the new answer.
Repeat Until You Reach the Root Cause
Usually, five iterations are enough, but you may need more or fewer. Stop when the answer points to a cause that is actionable and not just another symptom.
Verify the Root Cause
Check that addressing this cause would prevent the problem from recurring. If not, keep going.
Example — Logistics
Problem: A shipment arrived two days late.
Why did the shipment arrive two days late? → The truck left the warehouse late.
Why did the truck leave the warehouse late? → The loading process took longer than expected.
Why did the loading process take longer than expected? → The items weren’t ready when loading began.
Why weren’t the items ready when the loading began? → The packing team was waiting for missing items from inventory.
Why was the packaging team waiting for missing items from inventory? → The inventory system showed items in stock that weren’t actually there.
Root Cause: Inaccurate inventory records.
Solution: Implement real-time inventory tracking.
The Theory Behind It
Why does such a simple tool work so well? The answer lies in neuroscience, psychology, motivation, and business practice.
Neuroscience: Daniel Kahneman (2011) describes two modes of thinking: fast, intuitive “System 1” and slow, deliberate “System 2.” The 5 Whys forces us into System 2, disrupting our tendency to jump to conclusions. Maryanne Wolf (2018) adds that deep, reflective thinking strengthens neural pathways for comprehension and critical analysis — exactly what the 5 Whys demands.
Psychology: The method aligns with the Socratic approach to inquiry, which has been shown to improve critical thinking (Paul & Elder, 2014). It also counters confirmation bias — our tendency to seek information that supports what we already believe (Nickerson, 1998).
Motivation: Self-Determination Theory (Deci & Ryan, 1985) shows that people are more committed to solutions they help create. By involving teams in the questioning process, the 5 Whys increases ownership and motivation to implement fixes.
Business Administration: In Lean thinking, the 5 Whys is a cornerstone of continuous improvement (Ohno, 1988; Liker, 2004). It embodies the principle of “go and see” (genchi genbutsu) and supports Kaizen — small, incremental improvements that add up to big results.
Leadership: Amy Edmondson’s research on psychological safety (1999) shows that people are more willing to share openly when they feel safe from blame. The 5 Whys, when used properly, creates that safety by focusing on processes, not people.
Science and Philosophy: Einstein famously said that if he had an hour to solve a problem, he’d spend 55 minutes defining it and 5 minutes solving it. Newton insisted on grounding theories in observation. Both perspectives align with the disciplined, evidence-based questioning of the 5 Whys.
Pitfalls to Avoid
While the 5 Whys is simple, it’s not foolproof. Common pitfalls include:
Stopping Too Early: Ending the questioning before reaching a true root cause often leads to superficial fixes.
Accepting Assumptions as Facts: Each answer should be evidence-based; otherwise, you risk building your analysis on shaky ground.
Focusing on Blame: The goal is to fix processes, not assign fault. Blame shuts down honest discussion and reduces psychological safety (Edmondson, 1999).
Linear Thinking in Complex Problems: The 5 Whys works best for straightforward cause-effect chains. For complex, multi-factor problems, it should be combined with tools like the Fishbone Diagram or Causal Loop Diagramming.
Confirmation Bias: Teams may unconsciously steer the questioning toward a cause they already believe is true (Kahneman, 2011). This is why diverse perspectives and evidence tagging are important.
Conclusion
The 5 Whys is more than a problem-solving technique. It’s a mindset — one that encourages leaders to look beyond the obvious, to question assumptions, and to uncover the deeper truths that drive behavior.
In my own story, the problem wasn’t really about a radio being turned off. It was about a broken relationship, a conflict that had escalated, and an employee who felt unheard. By using the 5 Whys, I was able to see past the symptom and address the cause. The result wasn’t just compliance with a rule — it was trust, relief, and a stronger sense of safety on the project.
For leaders, the invitation is clear: the next time you face a problem, resist the urge to stop at the first explanation. Ask “Why?” again. And again. You may be surprised at what you uncover — and at the impact it has on your people.
So, what problems in your leadership might look like symptoms, but are really pointing to something deeper?
References
Deci, E.L., & Ryan, R.M. (1985). Intrinsic Motivation and Self Determination in Human Behavior. Springer.
Edmondson, A.C. (1999). Psychological safety and learning behavior in work teams. Administrative Science Quarterly, 44(2), 350–383.
Kahneman, D. (2011). Thinking, Fast and Slow. Farrar, Straus and Giroux.
Liker, J.K. (2004). The Toyota Way. McGraw Hill.
Miller, E.K., & Cuttler, C. (2003). Neural mechanisms of executive control. Neuron, 38(2), 187–197.
Nickerson, R.S. (1998). Confirmation bias: A ubiquitous phenomenon in many guises. Review of General Psychology, 2(2), 175–220.
Ohno, T. (1988). Toyota Production System: Beyond Large Scale Production. Productivity Press.
Paul, R., & Elder, L. (2014). The Miniature Guide to Critical Thinking. Foundation for Critical Thinking.
Wolf, M. (2018). Reader, Come Home: The Reading Brain in a Digital World. Harper.
