Do. Not. Miss. This. A Year of Presence

This year, my word is present.

I chose it because I realized how often I am physically somewhere but not fully there. Not just because of my phone, although that plays a role. It shows up in quieter ways too. It is sitting in a restaurant and finding myself more engaged in listening to someone else’s conversation than the person across from me. It is bringing my computer along because I just need to finish one thing while my son is trying to tell me about his day. It is thinking about what is next instead of settling into what is now.

It is half listening. Half working. Half showing up.

And I do not want to live a half life.

It is such a gift to give someone your undivided attention. To be fully in a moment. To look someone in the eyes and let them feel that you are really there. No rushing. No drifting. Attention is love in action.

Being present is also about recognizing the little gifts all around us.

• The way light comes through the window of my office in the morning.
• The sound of laughter from another room.
• The ordinary stories that feel small but are actually sacred treasures.
• The way Cali talks to me as we walk the perimeter of the farm.
• The way the clouds form images or the colors stretch across the sky at sunset while the chickens make their way to the coop.

So much of life is made up of these quiet moments, and they are easy to overlook when we are distracted or in a hurry. But they are the moments that anchor us. They remind us we are alive. They are the moments we will one day wish we could step back into.

There is a line from a movie that has been echoing in my head lately: “Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.” It feels almost too simple, but the older I get, the truer it becomes. Life really does move fast. Seasons change. Children grow. Sunsets come and go whether I notice them or not. And I do not want to miss it.

I have started asking myself a different question in the morning. Instead of immediately thinking about everything I need to accomplish, I ask, what does the world have for me today? What beauty is waiting to be noticed? What conversation needs my full attention? What simple moment might become a memory?

This shift feels small, but it is changing me. It is softening me. It is slowing me down in the best way.

I want to fully live this gift of a life I have been given that is already in front of me.

Not someday. Not when things calm down. Not after the work is finished.

Now.

Being present does not mean I will do it perfectly. It means I am aware. It means I am choosing again and again to close the laptop, to look up from the noise, to stay in the conversation, to walk the farm without rushing the steps.

This year I am choosing depth over distraction. Connection over constant motion. Awareness over autopilot.

I do not want to miss what is right in front of me.

I want to be here for it.

Fully.

Present.

Happy Monday Lovelies,

-srt

Discovering Your Ikigai: Finding Purpose at the Intersection of Passion and Meaning

Have you ever found yourself wondering what your true purpose is?

What gets you out of bed in the morning feeling energized, fulfilled, and aligned?

In Japan, there is a beautiful concept that helps people uncover this sense of meaning. It’s called Ikigai.

Ikigai is more than a trendy self-development tool ... it’s a powerful framework for living with clarity, intention, and purpose.

What Is Ikigai?

Ikigai is a Japanese term that translates loosely to “a reason for being.”
It represents the deep sense of purpose that makes life feel meaningful and worth waking up for.

At its core, Ikigai is the intersection of four essential parts of life:

• What you love

• What you are good at

• What the world needs

• What you can be paid for

When these areas overlap, they reveal the sweet spot where passion, talent, service, and sustainability come together.

Why Ikigai Is So Powerful

Ikigai is powerful because it helps people move beyond simply “getting through life” and toward truly living with intention.

Many people feel stuck because they are disconnected from one or more of these areas:

• They may be successful, but not fulfilled

• They may be passionate, but unsure how to turn it into a career

• They may serve others, but feel burned out

• They may have talent, but no clear direction

Ikigai provides clarity by showing that fulfillment isn’t found in just one thing — it’s found in alignment.

My Ikigai: A Personal Example

One of the most meaningful parts of the Ikigai process is seeing how your own experiences, strengths, and passions come together.

Here is my personal Ikigai:

In my diagram, the themes are clear:

• I love helping people feel grounded, supported, and seen

• I’m good at coaching, listening deeply, and guiding transformation

• The world needs more emotional wellness and compassionate leadership

• I can be paid for coaching, teaching, writing, and consulting

At the center of it all is my purpose:

I help people feel grounded, supported, and empowered to create meaningful lives through compassionate coaching and emotional wellness work.

Ikigai as a Compass for Growth

Ikigai isn’t something you find once and never revisit.

It’s a lifelong practice ... a way of checking in with yourself and asking:

• Am I living in alignment with what matters most?

• Am I using my gifts in service of something meaningful?

• Am I creating a life that feels fulfilling and sustainable?

When you discover your Ikigai, you begin to make decisions with greater confidence, direction, and peace.

Your Turn: What Might Your Ikigai Be?

If you’re feeling called to explore your own Ikigai, start by reflecting on these four questions:

• What do I love?

• What am I good at?

• What does the world need?

• What can I be paid for?

Your answers may hold the key to a life that feels deeply aligned.

Ready to Discover Yours?

If you’d like support uncovering your own Ikigai and building a life around your purpose, I’d love to help.

Coaching is a powerful space for clarity, growth, and transformation.

Happy Thursday all,

-srt

#ReaCoachingandConsulting #Ikigai #Love #worldneedsyou

Start Messy. Start Scared. Start Now.

We spend so much time waiting for the right moment.

When things feel clearer.
When confidence shows up.
When the plan feels airtight.
When fear finally quiets down.

But here is the truth most people do not want to hear.

That moment rarely comes.

Growth does not begin with certainty. It begins with courage.

So many dreams stall out not because they are impossible, but because we believe we need to feel ready before we begin. We tell ourselves we will start when we know all the steps, feel confident instead of nervous, have the perfect tools or timing, or are sure it will work.

But readiness is a moving target. The more you wait for it, the further away it seems.

Clarity does not come before action.
Clarity comes from action.

Starting messy means giving yourself permission to be imperfect. It means accepting that the first draft will be rough, the first attempt may wobble, and the first version will not be your best.

And that is not a flaw.
It is the process.

Messy beginnings teach you faster than overthinking ever will. They build momentum instead of fear and replace self doubt with real experience. Every expert you admire once stood exactly where you are now.

Starting scared does not mean you are doing it wrong.

Fear is not a stop sign. It is a signal. It often shows up when something matters, when you are stretching beyond what is familiar, when growth is actually happening.

Confidence is not the absence of fear.
Confidence is choosing to move forward with fear present.

You do not need to eliminate fear to begin. You only need to stop letting it make the decisions.

Someday feels safe.
Now feels uncomfortable.

But now is where change lives.

Starting now might look like sending the email you keep rewriting, sharing the idea even though it feels unfinished, having the honest conversation you have been avoiding, or taking one small step toward the goal that keeps calling you.

You do not need the whole staircase.
You only need the next step.

So just start.

Not perfectly.
Not confidently.
Not with every answer.

Just start.

Because the version of you who learns along the way is far more powerful than the version who stays stuck waiting.

Start messy.
Start scared.
Start now.

Everything changes when you do.

Happy Monday lovelies,

-srt

#MondayMotivation #GetoutofBed #ReaCoachingandConsulting

DEI Through the Lens of Law and Faith

 …it all started with a comment from a student who had heard that DEI puts unqualified people in jobs while taking jobs away from white people.

I did not hear that comment as anger. I heard it as fear. And confusion. And a question many people are quietly carrying but do not know how to ask out loud.

This is not a rebuttal. It is not a takedown. It is a hug. And an invitation to slow down, breathe, be curious and look at what DEI actually is through the lens of the law and through the lens of faith.

Let us start with the law.

In the United States, it is illegal to hire someone simply because of their race, gender, or identity. That has been true for decades.

To tighten it up further, let me qualify the above as this:

U.S. law has long prohibited hiring someone solely because of race, sex, or identity, with narrow, well-defined exceptions such as bona fide occupational qualifications, religious roles, and limited remedial programs.  Those exceptions are narrow, role-specific, and do not permit blanket or automatic preferences.

Equal Employment Opportunity laws such as the Civil Rights Act, the Equal Pay Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act, and the Age Discrimination in Employment Act do not allow employers to replace job-related qualifications with identity-based preferences. Instead, they require that qualified people are not excluded because of bias.

DEI does not mean hiring unqualified people.
It does not mean lowering standards.
It does not mean taking jobs away from one group to give them to another.

What the law requires is that employment decisions are based on qualifications related to the job and not on stereotypes, assumptions, or past patterns of exclusion.

When DEI is done correctly and legally, it expands access to opportunity. It does not remove protection from anyone. White applicants are still protected by the same laws. Fairness is not something that runs out.

Equity is not favoritism.

One of the biggest misunderstandings centers on the word equity.

Equity does not mean everyone gets the same outcome.
It means everyone gets a fair chance to compete.

If two people are equally qualified, the law does not say one must be chosen because of their background. It says that background cannot be the reason someone is ignored or dismissed.

That is not punishment. That is integrity.

Now let us talk about something deeper.

Because even if the law did not require fairness, faith would still call us to it.

The Bible is clear about how we are meant to treat one another.

“My dear brothers and sisters, how can you claim to have faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ if you favor some people over others?"  James 2:1

“He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness and to walk humbly with your God?"  Micah 6:8 

Justice. Mercy. Humility.

DEI at its heart is not about politics or labels. It is about asking honest questions. 

• Are we seeing people clearly? 
• Are we judging character and ability instead of assumptions? 
• Are we creating spaces where people can use the gifts God gave them?

Scripture repeatedly reminds us to care for those who have been overlooked or pushed aside. Not because they are better. But because they are human.

“The body does not consist of one member but of many.”  1 Corinthians 12:14

A body works best when every part is valued, respected, and allowed to function fully.

A softer truth we do not say often enough.

When people fear that DEI means they will lose something, that fear deserves compassion. Not dismissal.

Fear often comes from not being seen and that matters.

But fairness for others is not loss for you.

A just system does not remove your seat at the table. It makes sure the table was built to hold everyone.

The heart of it.

DEI is not about replacing merit.
It is about removing barriers that never should have existed.

It is not about guilt.
It is about responsibility.

It is not about division.
It is about dignity.

Whether you approach this conversation through the law or through faith, the message is strikingly similar.

See people clearly.
Judge fairly.
Act with love.

That is not radical.
That is human.
And for many of us, it is deeply biblical.

If we can approach this conversation with curiosity instead of defensiveness, and compassion instead of fear, we may find that DEI is not something to resist. It is something that helps us become who we are called to be.

Thanks for digging in today,

-srt 

P.S. If this raised questions for you or stirred something you are still sorting through, that is okay. These conversations matter, and they are better when we have them together. I welcome your thoughts and your questions.

You Matter: A Reminder We All Need

This week, I had a coaching session with a client who came to me feeling worn down, unseen, and questioning her value. As she spoke, I could feel the weight she was carrying, the belief that somehow, she didn’t matter.

And it reminded me of a powerful TEDx talk by Matt Emerzian, where he shares a simple but life-changing truth: you matter.

When We Forget We Matter

My client’s experience is not unusual. So many of us go through seasons where we feel invisible, overwhelmed by responsibility, yet underappreciated. From the outside, life can look fine, but on the inside, it can feel like we’re running on empty.

Matt Emerzian himself once lived that reality. On paper, he had it all, success, career, opportunity, but inside, he was falling apart. Everything changed when someone told him that life isn’t about me, it’s about we. His purpose shifted from chasing status to embracing impact, and that shift made all the difference.

The Ripple Effect of Knowing You Matter

When we forget that we matter, we shrink. We doubt our voice. We live smaller than we were meant to.

But when we remember that we matter, the opposite happens. We come alive. We see that every word, every action, every small kindness has the potential to ripple out and touch others in ways we can’t always measure.

Think about it: a kind word at the right moment, an encouraging text, a simple act of listening, it can change someone’s day, even their life.

Redefining Success

Our culture often tells us that success is about money, power, or recognition. But what if true success is about impact? What if it’s measured by the people we lift up, the hope we spread, and the love we share?

That’s what I reminded my client: her worth is not defined by what she produces, but by who she is. The world is better because she’s in it. And the same is true for you.

My Reminder to You

Maybe you’re reading this and you also need to hear it today: You matter.

Not because of what you do or how perfectly you perform, but because of who you are. Your presence, your kindness, your contributions, they ripple out farther than you know.

So here’s my challenge to you: carry this truth with you into your week. And just as importantly, remind someone else that they matter, too.

Because sometimes the most powerful gift we can give is a simple reminder of what’s already true.

You matter,

-srt

P.S. If you haven't seen You Matter on TedxSanDiego, here is the link:  https://youtu.be/xAcHp0WBbBQ?feature=shared

P.S.S. If you love the TedxSanDiego talk, read Matt Emerzian's book Every Monday Matters: 52 Ways to Make a Difference.

Kotter’s 8 Steps: A Proven Framework for Leading Change

Change is constant, but successful change is not. Many organizations struggle to implement new initiatives, align their teams, or sustain transformation over time. Dr. John Kotter, a leading authority on leadership and change at Harvard Business School, developed a practical and widely used framework to address this: 

Kotter’s 8 Step Process for Leading Change.

This model helps leaders move from vision to execution, building momentum and engagement throughout the change journey.

What Is Kotter’s 8 Step Model?

Kotter’s model provides a structured, people centered roadmap for implementing change. Unlike traditional change management processes that focus on systems and structure, Kotter’s approach emphasizes leadership, communication, and cultural alignment.

Here are the eight steps:

1. Create a Sense of Urgency
   Help people see why change is necessary. Use data, trends, or customer feedback to highlight the risks of inaction and the opportunities ahead.

2. Build a Guiding Coalition
   Assemble a group of influential leaders and change champions who can drive momentum and overcome resistance.

3. Form a Strategic Vision and Initiatives
   Craft a clear, inspiring vision for the future and identify actionable steps that will move the organization toward it.

4. Enlist a Volunteer Army
   Communicate the vision broadly and invite others to participate. Engagement and buy in grow when people feel part of the movement.

5. Enable Action by Removing Barriers
   Identify and address obstacles, whether structural, procedural, or cultural, that slow down progress.

6. Generate Short Term Wins
   Celebrate early successes to build confidence and show that the change is working.

7. Sustain Acceleration
   Use the momentum from early wins to tackle bigger challenges. Keep pushing forward and avoid declaring victory too early.

8. Institute Change
   Anchor the new behaviors and processes into the organizational culture so the change sticks over time.

When and Where to Use Kotter’s Model

Kotter’s framework is ideal for any organizational transformation that requires alignment, engagement, and cultural shift. It works particularly well in

• Business transformations such as mergers, restructuring, or digital initiatives

• Leadership transitions or new strategy rollouts

• Culture or behavior change programs

• Team or departmental realignments

• Nonprofit or community-based initiatives that require broad collaboration

Essentially, if your change effort involves people rather than only processes, Kotter’s model offers a roadmap to build commitment and momentum.

How to Apply Kotter’s 8 Steps

Implementing Kotter’s model involves both structure and flexibility. Here is how to bring it to life:

1. Diagnose the Current State: Understand the internal and external pressures driving change. Gather insights to build urgency.

2. Form Your Coalition: Identify credible, committed leaders who can influence others.

3. Co Create the Vision: Collaborate with your team to define what success looks like and why it matters.

4. Communicate Relentlessly: Share stories, updates, and results frequently through multiple channels and conversations.

5. Empower Teams: Remove red tape, clarify roles, and provide resources to make change easier.

6. Track and Celebrate Wins: Recognize progress early and often to reinforce commitment.

7. Scale and Sustain: Expand successful practices and embed them into hiring, training, and leadership development.

8. Anchor in Culture: Reinforce new norms through shared values, systems, and leadership behaviors.

Final Thoughts

Kotter’s 8 Step Model reminds us that successful change is not about control, it is about connection. Change takes root when people believe in it, understand their role, and see real results.

As leaders, our job is to guide others through uncertainty with clarity, empathy, and consistency, transforming not just what we do, but how we think and collaborate along the way.

Happy Thursday lovelies,

-srt

Reference

Kotter, J. P. (1996). Leading Change. Boston, MA: Harvard Business School Press.

You Are Allowed to Be Proud of Yourself

 

Somewhere along the way, many of us learned to downplay our wins.

We learned to say “It was nothing” instead of “I worked hard for this.”
We learned to keep moving instead of pausing.
We learned that pride could look like arrogance, and that humility meant shrinking.

Let this be your reminder: you are allowed to be proud of yourself.

Pride Is Not Arrogance

Being proud of yourself doesn’t mean you think you’re better than others. It means you recognize your effort, your growth, and your resilience. It means you acknowledge what it took to get here ... the late nights, the 80-hour workweeks, the uncomfortable conversations, the moments you wanted to quit but didn’t.

Healthy pride is grounded.
It’s honest.
It’s earned.

Growth Deserves Recognition

So often, we only celebrate big milestones: the promotion, the finished goal, the visible success. But growth usually happens quietly.

It happens when:

• You set a boundary you used to avoid

• You chose rest instead of burnout

• You spoke kindly to yourself on a hard day

• You tried again after failing

Those moments matter. They count. And they deserve recognition ... especially from you.

You Don’t Need Permission (But Here It Is Anyway)

If no one has told you lately, let this be the moment you hear it:

• You don’t need to wait until everything is perfect.
• You don’t need to minimize your progress because someone else is further along.
• You don’t need external validation to honor your journey.

You are allowed to be proud of who you are becoming, not just what you’ve achieved.

A Simple Practice

Today, pause and ask yourself:

• What have I done recently that took courage?

• Where have I grown, even if it was uncomfortable?

• What am I proud of that I haven’t acknowledged yet?

Write it down. Say it out loud. Let it land.

Because pride, when rooted in self-respect, fuels confidence ... not complacency.

Final Reminder

You are allowed to be proud of yourself.
Not someday.
Not when you’ve done “more.”
Right Now.

And sometimes, that reminder is exactly what keeps us going.

Keep going lovelies, you got this. 

-srt

How to Write a Strong Problem Statement

Let’s be honest: most of us love solutions. We love brainstorming fixes, rolling up our sleeves, and diving in. But here’s the problem: if we don’t take the time to define the actual problem, we end up throwing energy (and sometimes money) at the wrong thing.

It’s like treating a headache with new shoes. Sure, they look good, but you still have a headache.

That’s why writing a strong problem statement is one of the most important skills you can learn in business and in life.

Why Bother With a Problem Statement?

Think of a problem statement as your GPS. Without it, you might still get somewhere, but probably not where you intended. With it, you save time, avoid frustration, and keep everyone on the same road.

A clear problem statement:

• Gets everyone on the same page (no more arguing about what we’re really solving).

• Prevents “solution-hopping” (jumping to shiny fixes that don’t stick).

• Makes your case stronger when you need buy-in.

The Secret Recipe: 5 Ingredients

Writing one isn’t rocket science, it’s more like following a simple recipe. 

Here are the five ingredients you need:

1. Background/Context – Why does this matter right now?

2. The Problem – What’s the real gap or challenge?

3. Impact – Who’s affected, and how?

4. Evidence/Data – Prove it. Don’t just “feel” it.

5. Desired State – Paint a picture of success (without sneaking in the solution).

Here’s the difference it makes:

Weak version: “Our onboarding process stinks.”
Strong version: “In the last year, new hire retention dropped from 90% to 70%. Exit interviews show that unclear role expectations during onboarding are leaving people disengaged. This costs us time, money, and morale. The goal is an onboarding experience where new employees feel confident and retention returns to 90% or higher.”

The second one? That’s the kind of clarity that makes people lean forward and say, “Okay, now we can fix this.”

Don’t Fall Into These Traps

Some common traps (that I’ve seen more times than I can count):

• Too fuzzy, too tiny. Don’t be vague, but don’t zoom in so much you miss the bigger picture.

• Jumping to solutions. We all love playing fixer, but remember—this step is about defining the “what,” not the “how.”

• No receipts. Back it up with data. Without evidence, your problem statement is just a complaint.

Putting It Into Practice

In my workshops, I have people rewrite weak statements, practice with real scenarios, and critique each other’s drafts. At first, it feels awkward (like learning to dance), but then it clicks. Before long, you’ll catch yourself saying, “Wait, what’s the actual problem here?” and everyone will thank you for it.

The Bottom Line

A strong problem statement sets the stage for everything else. It saves time, builds alignment, and leads to stronger solutions.

Happy Thursday lovelies,

-srt

P.S. And here’s the good news: you don’t have to figure this out alone. At Rea Coaching and Consulting, I’ll show you how to write problem statements that actually move the needle. So ... are you ready to stop solving the wrong problems? Reach out today. Let’s get it right the first time.

Thank You MLK Jr

Thank you.

Thank you for your courage when silence was safer, for your faith in love when hatred was loud, and for your unwavering commitment to justice when justice was costly. Your life reminds us that moral courage is not found in comfort, but in conviction.

You taught us that “injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere,” a truth that still echoes in a world wrestling with inequality, division, and indifference. You warned us that “our lives begin to end the day we become silent about the things that matter.” Those words continue to challenge each generation to speak, act, and stand.

You showed us that leadership rooted in love is not weakness, but strength. When you said, “darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that,” you offered humanity a higher path that remains urgently needed today.

Your dream was not naive. It was visionary. A dream where people are judged not by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character. A dream that still calls us to do the hard work of building equity, dignity, and belonging through systems, policies, and everyday choices.

You reminded us that “the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice,” while also reminding us that it does not bend on its own. It bends because people like you, and those you inspired, were willing to push, sacrifice, and persist.

Thank you for showing us that faith and action belong together, that love is a discipline, and that hope is a responsibility. Your legacy lives on every time someone chooses courage over comfort, truth over convenience, and love over fear.

With gratitude and resolve,

Me - A girl you taught how to dream BIG

Your Success Doesn’t Have to Look Like Everyone Else’s

Somewhere along the way, many of us quietly absorbed the idea that success follows a single, well defined path.

Graduate by a certain age.
Climb the ladder at the right pace.
Hit the milestones everyone applauds.
Keep moving, even when it doesn’t feel aligned.

And when our journey doesn’t match that picture, doubt creeps in.

But here is the reminder we all need to hear again and again.

Your success doesn’t need to look like everyone else’s.

The Pressure to Conform

Social media, professional circles, and even well meaning advice can make it seem like there is a universal timeline or formula. When your path looks different, slower, faster, more winding, or more creative, it is easy to wonder if you are doing something wrong.

You are not.

Different does not mean delayed.
Different does not mean behind.
Different does not mean unsuccessful.

It simply means intentional.

Stay the Course

Staying the course does not always feel glamorous. Sometimes it looks like choosing sustainability over burnout, saying no to opportunities that do not align, taking a pause when everyone else seems to be rushing, or building something meaningful behind the scenes.

Progress is not always loud or visible. Some of the most powerful growth happens when no one is watching.

Trust the work you are doing. Trust the clarity you are building. Trust the version of success you are creating.

Define Your Own Path

When you define success for yourself, everything shifts.

Success might look like freedom instead of titles, alignment instead of approval, impact instead of income alone, or peace instead of constant pressure.

Your values, seasons, and priorities matter. What fulfills someone else may not fulfill you, and that is not only okay, it is necessary.

A Gentle Reminder

If you have been questioning your pace, your direction, or your decisions, let this be your permission slip.

You do not have to chase someone else’s version of enough.
You do not have to rush your becoming.
You do not have to explain a path that feels right to you.

I believe success is personal, evolving, and deeply human. And you are allowed to build it in a way that truly reflects you.

Stay the course. Define your own path. Your success is valid exactly as it is.

Happy Thursday,

-srt

Getting to the Root Cause with the Five Whys

When challenges arise in business, or life, it’s tempting to address the symptoms instead of the actual cause. But without uncovering what’s truly driving the problem, the same issue often resurfaces. That’s where the Five Whys Analysis comes in.

This simple yet powerful method helps us dig beneath the surface and get to the root cause of any challenge.

What is the Five Whys Analysis?

The Five Whys is a problem-solving tool that involves asking “Why?” repeatedly, typically five times, until the underlying cause of an issue is revealed. 

The number five isn’t a hard rule; sometimes you’ll get there in three, other times it may take more. The goal is persistence in questioning until you move past symptoms and into causes.

Why Use It?

• Clarity: It cuts through noise to uncover the heart of the issue.

• Simplicity: No complex tools required—just curiosity and honest questioning.

• Prevention: By solving the real problem, you prevent it from recurring.

• Collaboration: Encourages teams to think together and challenge assumptions.

When to Use It

• Persistent operational issues

• Customer complaints or service breakdowns

• Team conflicts or recurring miscommunications

• Any situation where the same problem keeps resurfacing

How to Use It

1. State the problem clearly.
   Example: “The client didn’t receive their report on time.”

2. Ask Why.
   Why didn’t they receive it on time? → Because the analyst delivered it late.

3. Ask Why again.
   Why was the analyst late? → Because they were waiting for data from another team.

4. Keep going.
   Why was that team delayed? → Because they didn’t have clear deadlines.

5. Dig deeper.
   Why weren’t deadlines clear? → Because no standard process was in place.

By the fifth why, you’ve shifted from blaming individuals to identifying a process gap ... something you can actually fix.

Key Tips

• Stay focused on facts, not opinions.

• Avoid turning the exercise into blame. The point is improvement, not fault-finding.

• Be flexible—the root cause may appear before or after the fifth question.

Final Thoughts

The Five Whys is deceptively simple, but its impact is profound. By asking the right questions, you build clarity, improve processes, and create more sustainable results.

Happy Thursday Lovelies,

-srt

P.S. If you’d like support in applying tools like the Five Whys in your business or leadership journey, I’d love to help. Reach out to me at Rea Coaching & Consulting (stacyreathomas@gmail.com).  Together, we can get to the root and build from there.