START WITH WHY: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action By Simon Sinek

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

The Book “Start with why” by Simon Sinek, is about learning to inspire others. Some have the ability from birth while some learn it over the course of years. Anyone can achieve this ability without any restriction. Instead of fixing the things, a different approach has been used in which things which do work are amplified. Right questions need to be asked.

Examples of creating inspiration:
On December 17, 1903, a man took flight for the first time in history. Wilbur and Orville Wright did not have much resources and renowned degrees like Samuel Pierpont Langley and his team, but they succeeded in their passion because they knew how to inspire others around them. Because of that motivated group effort they were able to make their dream come true.
When Steve Wozniak built Apple I, he wanted to give an individual who bought it, the ability to avail all those functions that are performed by a better resourced company. His vision was to provide a whole corporation to an individual through his personal computer. Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak were able to revolutionize the computer industry because they were able to repeat this pattern and use this vision to create inspiration. They had nothing that made them stand out from the rest, but Apple was able to challenge conventional thinking by targeting many different industries. Apple was able to ask the right question.

Manipulation and inspiration:
Human behavior can be influenced either by manipulation or by inspiration. Reduction in prices, promise of innovation, promotion, peer pressure, fear, aspirational messages etc. are typical types of manipulations. Companies and organizations that have no idea that why their customers buy from them and why their employees work for them, they start relying on manipulations to get what they need. But every manipulation has its negative aspects which eventually cause a considerable loss of the company’s reputation, resources and assets.

The golden circle:
The concept of the golden circle was inspired by the golden ratio; it signifies how leaders inspire people rather than manipulating them. It suggests how to turn an idea into a social movement. It basically starts from the inside out. It focuses on asking the right questions which starts with the WHY, like why should people care, why does this idea, company or belief exist? Next is HOW, how do they do what they do? It usually explains how something is better or how does it stand out from the rest. And the last is easiest to asses that is the WHAT, what is the purpose, what are they offering or what is it that they do.

Levels of human brain:
The levels of the golden circle also relate with the levels of a human brain. The newest area of the human brain is the neocortex which associates with the WHAT. Its responsible for rational and analytical thoughts. The middle section comprises of limbic section which associates with emotions, feelings and is also responsible for all the decision-making processes. Gut decisions are also associated with the limbic portion of the brain. They come from feelings rather than analytical facts and figures. Great leaders understand that and see what we are not able to and give us what we did not know we needed. They win hearts before brains and give us WHY before WHAT.

Importance:
All three stages of the golden circle are important. WHY creates a belief of trust and loyalty. HOW are the actions taken to realize that belief? WHAT are the results of those actions and when all three are in balance, trust and loyalty are built? The employees respect the decisions that are made at the top and commit themselves to the cause. All great leaders have clarity of WHY, discipline of HOW and consistency of WHAT. Locating the WHY is a process of discovery, not invention. According to Sinek, The WHY is within us. And once you find and know your WHY, the hardest part is to remain true to it.

Achievement and success:
Achievement comes in pursuit of WHAT we want, and success comes in pursuit of WHY we do what we do. The WHAT is affected by tangible external factors whereas the WHY is more meaningful and deeper.
A WHY without the HOW and passion without the structure has a high prospect of failure. passion needs structure to flourish and structure needs passion to grow. Organizations which follow this pattern and start from asking the right questions and then work their way to find their answers can inspire their work force.