That's why it costs you time and money to ignore the five H's

As the speed increases, what do we really need to know before we start?
In a world characterized by high pace, pressure of expectation and need for change, it is easy to jump straight into solution. When something doesn't work -- a process, a system, a service -- our instinct is often to “fix it.” Quickly. The decisions should be made, actions should be shown, and the project plan should be implemented.

But time and time again we see initiatives fail. Not because people haven't done their best. Not because the intention was lacking. But because one started without asking the most basic questions:

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What? Why? Who? When? How?
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The five H's may be simple, but the effect of actually tuning them -- thoroughly and honestly -- is anything but simple.

They are the key to common understanding, clear direction and ownership.

- Because without a clear what, we do not know what we are trying to solve.
- Without a clear why, we do not know why it is important to solve it now.
- Without a defined who, we run the risk of responsibility remaining indistinct and ownership absent.
- Without a realistic when, we drown in unresolved expectations and unattainable goals.
- And without a thoughtful how, the solution becomes haphazard, fragmented or overcomplicated.

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The questions aren't the problem -- they're the answers
Some people perceive the five H's as time thieves. As criticism. Like something that stops momentum. But it is rarely the questions themselves that cause unease — it is the discomfort that arises when the answers are not answered or scattered.

When different stakeholders give different answers to the same question, it is revealed that common understanding is lacking. And without common understanding, we don't get common direction either. Then it becomes difficult to engage, build motivation and mobilize for implementation.

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Hope is not a strategy -- it is the result of clarity
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According to the Cambridge Dictionary, hope is “wanting something to happen — and having a good reason to believe it might actually happen”. We create that reason by asking questions early, and by enduring the answers.

By addressing the five H's in a systematic but curious way, we reduce the risk of misinvestments, misunderstandings and loss of motivation. We facilitate real momentum -- not just activity.

How do we get started?
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Before you speed:

- Start with common problem understanding -- and spend more time on this than you think.

- Gather relevant perspectives — Interdisciplinarity is a strength, not an obstacle.

- Set the five H's -- and listen to the variations in the answers.

- Dare to stop if the answers reveal that the assumptions do not hold.

- Adjust the map before you leave — not after you've passed away.

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The right direction beats high speed -- every time
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Efficiency is not about doing the most fast. It's about doing the right thing -- in the right way, with the right people, at the right time. The five H's are not a form you fill out and put away. They are a way of thinking -- and leading with.

When we start by asking the right questions, we're not just creating structure. We create peace of mind, direction and real deliverability.