How to Be a More Inspirational Leader
In "Start with Why," author Simon Sinek argues that the key to effective leadership is to understand and communicate one's own "why" - the purpose or belief that drives one's actions. This idea can be applied to both personal and professional contexts, and can inspire and lead others more effectively.
Sinek also introduces the concept of the Golden Circle, which consists of three elements: why, how, and what. He argues that most organizations start with what they do, then how they do it, but it's the reverse order - starting with why - that truly sets great leaders apart.
He also discusses the importance of a balanced team that includes both "why" and "how" individuals, and the value of focusing on one's why in order to attract loyal customers and hire motivated employees.
Why Start With Why
Sinek encourages us to start with the why because doing so will produce an emotional reaction, and emotional reactions build long-term customer loyalty.
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Starting with why also helps create more effective marketing. My favorite example in the book was about how Apple marketed their iPod.
Even though the company Creative had the same product (probably better at that time), they focused on their what and marketed it as a “5GB mp3 player.” Apple focused their message on their why and marketed their iPod as “1000 songs in your pocket.”
Apple’s marketing triggered an emotional response about the experience and freedom their product provided. This example highlights the power of being why-centric.
When you’re working on messaging (presentations, emails, etc.) for your team or company, ask yourself, why is this important to them? This will help you communicate more directly and effectively.
“There are leaders, and there are those who lead. Those who lead, inspire us.” -Simon Sinek
My other favorite example is Sinek’s observation that Martin Luther King Jr.’s famous speech was “I have a dream,” not “I have a plan.”
This is a poignant reminder of how starting with why inspires emotion, loyalty and in this case, social change.
Business Insights
If you want to avoid becoming dependent on sales and promotions, focusing on your why will help you develop a more loyal customer base that is willing to pay your full price.
Instead of targeting people who want what you sell, focus on attracting people who believe what you believe.
If you focus on your what, you’ll have more competition. By focusing on your why, you have more flexibility because people have learned to trust you.
As an example, Simon again cites Apple, pointing out how they didn’t market themselves as creators of computers like Dell. Instead, Apple focused on their why and marketed themselves as challengers of the status quo here to empower individuals.
Because Dell was always about their what, computers, they’ve struggled to expand their product line profitably. On the other hand, Apple’s why set them apart from their competitors and gave them flexibility to go beyond computers because people trust them.
If you own a company, include your why in your job descriptions when it comes time to hire new people. This will help you attract candidates that are eager to be a part of your team and believe in your vision.
You need both a why and how person to truly succeed. The why person understands the vision and passion, while the how person understands structure and what it will take to execute that vision.
“Passion alone can't cut it. For passion to survive it needs structure. A why without how has little probability of success.” -Simon Sinek
The Golden Circle
One key concept from the book is the Golden Circle, which consists of three elements: why, how, and what.
According to Sinek, most organizations start with what they do, then how they do it, and sometimes include their why. But it's the reverse order, starting with why, that truly sets great leaders apart.
To illustrate this, Sinek uses the example of the Wright brothers. While their competitors were focused on the what (building a flying machine) and the how (using a gasoline engine), the Wright brothers were focused on the why (the desire to explore and discover).
This why-centric approach ultimately led them to succeed where others had failed.
Here are the questions you can ask yourself to apply Sinek’s Golden Circle process:
Why? What is your purpose? What do you believe in that’s bigger than just your product? Why does your company exist?
How? What is you reprocess? What are the specific actions you take to achieve your why? How your company, product or service is unique?
What? What do you do? What is the result of your why? What is your product or service?
“The role of a leader is not to come up with all the great ideas. The role of a leader is to create an environment in which great ideas can happen.” -Simon Sinek
Starting with the why is effective because it triggers our innate desire to belong. People are attracted to companies that reflect their beliefs and aspirations. It makes people feel like they belong to something bigger than just what they buy.
Another important aspect of "Start with Why" is the importance of authenticity. Sinek encourages readers to be true to their values and beliefs, and to lead with authenticity. This means not just talking about your values, but living them in everything you do. By doing so, you can inspire trust and loyalty in your followers.
Overall, "Start with Why" is a powerful reminder that the why behind what we do is often more important than the what or the how. By starting with why and leading with authenticity, we can inspire and motivate others to achieve great things.
Communication Is Key
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