What Does This Make Possible?
In 9 Whys, participants ask each other guided questions to dig deep into their purposes and uncover what's essential in their work. It helps people find a personal sense of purpose and see how their efforts align with higher-order goals that are taking shape as the work proceeds. This simple and flexible approach makes it easy to clarify purpose, enacting LS Principle #10, Never Start Without Clear Purpose(s).
Structural Elements — Min Specs
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Structuring Invitation
"Let's paint a clearer picture of what you do at the heart of your work and the purpose of our work together. Everyone will uncover their own gem of purpose, and together we will create a vivid mosaic that will help us address our challenges. Let's start by exploring what you spend your time doing."
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Space and Materials
Chairs for people to sit face to face in pairs [breakouts of two]. No tables. Paper for each participant.
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Participation Distribution
Roles include host [tech host] and participants. Everyone is invited and has an equal opportunity to contribute.
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Group Configuration
1–2–4–All. [1–3–All unless it is easy to go directly from pairs to quartets.]
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Steps and Time Allocation
- ► Intro: Share the structuring invitation. If a clear challenge is already identified, share that challenge. (1 min.) (1 min.)
- ► Individual Reflection: Invite everyone to consider their role in addressing the group challenge. Participants jot down activities they personally engage in as part of the group's collective work. (1 min.) (1 min.)
- ► Interviews in Pairs: Participants form pairs [breakouts]. One person interviews the other by asking, "Why are those activities important to you?" Then they delve deeper, asking "Why is that important to you?" followed by more questions beginning with "Why…" up to nine times. The interviewee creates a short, action-oriented title (three to five words starting with a verb, like Moving the Mountain) that captures the essence of their partner's purpose. The interviewer notes the title and asks permission to share it with others later. (7 min.) (7 min.)
- ► Switch Roles: Partners switch roles and repeat the interview process. [Broadcast a message when it's time for pairs to switch roles.] The second interviewer creates a title for their partner. (7 min.) (7 min.)
- ► Share in Quartets (Optional for Online): Pairs join to form quartets. [Create new breakouts of four with maximum mix.] Participants share their experiences and insights from the interviews. (4 min.) (4 min.)
- ► Collective Insights: Everyone returns to plenary and reflects on what emerged. Ask: What fundamental justification or deep need for our collective work emerged? What overarching purpose resonates most strongly? [Use Chatterfall: Participants who have permission add their partners' purpose titles to the chat without their name.] (5 min.) (5 min.)
- ► Shared Purpose and Next Steps: The group discusses how the most powerful purposes influence their next steps. (5 min.) (5 min.)
Tips & Pitfalls
- Ask "Why is it important to you?" to keep the focus on personal purpose.
- Be aware that asking "why" repeatedly can feel rude in some cultures, which can be addressed by varying the way the question is asked. For example, in a business context, ask, "Why would people spend their money with you?" For a project with local stakeholders, ask, "Why is that important to your community?"
- It does not have to go all the way to nine. Stop when the core purpose has emerged.
- Allow silences. They give participants space to go deeper.
- Write down purpose titles. They will be used in the plenary debrief.
Riffs & Variations
- Use emojis or drawings to express purposes creatively.
- Once a group's members have used 9 Whys to define their individual purposes, they can collaborate to create a single nine-word purpose statement for the group. This statement provides a practical focus by framing the purpose in terms of what the group aims to stop doing and what it wants to start or create. A clear purpose statement guides collective efforts, attracts new members, and maintains engagement.
- Combine with Appreciative Interviews to anchor the discovered purpose in concrete success stories.
- Use sticky notes and arrange purpose titles hierarchically on a wall to make patterns visible.
Practical Applications
- 9 Whys can help identify an organization's purpose.
- Use it to clarify the purpose behind a new product launch.
- Use it to identify the purpose of a coaching session.
- Use it as the opener for a strategic session to get everyone on the same page.
- Use it when facing resistance to change to understand the real motivations of those involved.
Online & Hybrid Facilitation
Use the chat for engagement, encouraging participants to respond to each other with likes or emojis. Pairs work in breakout rooms; hosts and tech hosts stay in the main room. Use Chatterfall for the collective debrief: participants who have permission add their partners' purpose titles to the chat without their name. The Share in Quartets step is optional online; move directly from pairs to plenary debrief if needed.
Combine with Other Structures
Sources & License
Liberating Structure developed by Henri Lipmanowicz, Keith McCandless, and Nancy White.
Based on the work of Keith McCandless and Nancy White, The Liberating Structures Fieldbook (2026), CC BY-SA 4.0.
