The 6 Sense-Making Questions

Key Takeaways

• Six sense‑making questions guide leaders from labeling to action
• Mislabeling events leads to poor decisions and wasted effort
• Pause, test stories, and challenge assumptions to improve outcomes
• Identifying personal and others' narratives prevents entrenched bias
• Applying sense‑making boosts adaptability during rapid change

Pulse Analysis

Sense‑making, often described as "map‑making," is the mental process of turning raw events into actionable insight. In leadership circles, it bridges the gap between raw data and strategic response, helping executives avoid the trap of reacting to symptoms instead of underlying causes. By framing each incident through a series of probing questions, leaders can surface hidden assumptions, align team narratives, and create a shared reality that drives coordinated action. This disciplined approach mirrors cognitive‑psychology research that links structured questioning to reduced bias and clearer problem definition.

The six sense‑making questions—what’s happening, why it’s happening, what it says about me, what it says about others, what happens next, and what should I do—serve as a decision‑making scaffold. They force leaders to label situations accurately, assign realistic causes, and separate personal identity from event interpretation. For example, labeling a dip in sales as "lack of commitment" may trigger punitive measures, whereas viewing it as "burnout" invites supportive interventions. Each question also carries a danger: mis‑labeling, invented causes, or premature predictions can lock teams into destructive narratives that hinder performance.

To operationalize sense‑making, the article proposes three practical actions: slow your response, test your story, and test your solution. Pausing creates space for alternative hypotheses, while vocalizing the story invites diverse perspectives that can challenge entrenched views. Finally, scrutinizing the assumptions behind any proposed solution ensures that decisions are rooted in reality, not speculation. Embedding these habits into leadership routines builds organizational agility, allowing companies to navigate uncertainty with confidence and turn chaotic moments into strategic advantage.