Review: ‘Start With Why’

Start with Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action by Simon Sinek

Simon Sinek has a great perspective on employee morale and what keeps individuals engaged. Start with Why is an excellent read for anyone, but specifically for leaders hoping to rekindle inspiration within their organization. There are better ways to lead than in “Command and Control” or “Do As I Say” environments. 

Start With Why introduces the idea of the golden circle—a three-ringed circle. What is the outer-most ring. How is the middle ring. And Why is the inner ring. Why is a less common staring point but it is key to Organizations and individuals that inspire. Why is what provides purpose and motivation. Think about Apple – fans don’t just buy a phone, they buy Apple’s Why – their core-belief – We Think Different. How Does Apple Do that? They build products that are well designed and easy to use. What Does Apple Make? Computers, iPhones, iPads, etc… Notice that they don’t start with the What but with the Why. This is a great way to always focus on the core rationale for any initiative or goal.

What can you learn? Humans want to belong. Being a part of something, some movement is incredibly seductive. It’s the Why that unites our teams and focuses them on a single mission—the vision. The How then supports the Why. The How is the practical application of the Why, a way of clarifying the Vision into something tangible. The What is then the output of the How.

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