Simon Sinek on How to Improve Strategic Thinking

In Chapter 14 of 16 in his 2012 Capture Your Flag interview, author and public speaker Simon Sinek answers "How Do You Make Strategic Thinking More Implementation Friendly?" To Sinek it comes down to language and the importance of using words people understand. When the language is simple, the directive becomes clear to everyone and can be more easily followed and implemented.

Simon Sinek teaches leaders and organizations how to inspire people. His goal is to "inspire people to do the things that inspire them" and help others find fulfillment in their work. Sinek is the author of "Start With Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action". He works regularly with the United States Military, United States Congress, and many organizations, agencies and entrepreneurs. Sinek is an adjunct professor at Columbia University and an adjunct staff member at the think tank RAND Corporation. Sinek earned a BA in Cultural Anthropology from Brandeis University.

Transcript:

Erik Michielsen: How do you make strategic thinking more implementation friendly?

Simon Sinek: Language. Strategic thinking can be more implementation friendly when you use words that you understand. It’s amazing to me how often we read strategies that are incomprehensible. To be the pre-eminent supplier, you know, we’re gonna—I mean, what—I mean these are things that you can’t do. Based on what metric? We wanna be the best? That’s your strategy? Like that’s not a strategy. That’s nothing. We wanna be the—we wanna be ranked number one. What—revenues, profit, quality, customer satisfaction, loyalty, what? It’s complete nonsense, you know? And so the more specific a strategy can be, the clearer the language can be, the more implementable it can be.

I’m a great believer that if you speak like a scientist, only scientists will understand you, but if you speak like a truck driver, both truck drivers and scientists will understand you. And the amazing thing is if you actually speak like a scientist, even a lot of the scientists don’t understand you. The point is use very simple terminology that’s somebody who’s not in your industry who doesn’t know your business would understand what you’re trying to do.

And if that’s the basis of the language that you choose to use that anyone can understand what you’re attempting to do and if you started someone tomorrow, they would be able to take the reins and go because it’s so crystal clear. That’s the standard that we need to use inside our own organizations. When the language is clear, when the language is specific, when the language is simple, it’s easy. It’s easy to implement. Right? Off the races you go, you know?

[gormanhouston]

Communication is key! Of course, that requires people to understand what is being said.

[martavaresi]

I am so glad someone is saying this!!! All the stuff I read, half of it doesn't even make sense or it's unbelievably generic. It's like leaders think the more difficult you speak the more clever you

[SolonOz]

This interview guy always smile, I love it

[captureyourflag]

Thank you for the feedback. As the interviewer, I do want to share that we did not give any questions in advance so unlike scripted content or where interviewees have time to prepare, we try to get that immediate and visceral reaction that hopefully better connects to you. Will do a better job of helping interviewees work on fewer ums and you knows. Thanks again!

[johnzabroski]

When the language is clear, simple, specific, it's easy.

[joshuasnyder]

Not sure what the picture paints when I say number 1 is the spot that feels the best, but its also a an opportunity to wear the crosshairs on your head.

[aqonyahanabdizalamhereri]

we had have class tonight, and our teacher add in this clip in a lecture class

[jayp]

However the focus needs to be on some destination (goal) and the choice of tactics used to get there (which shoots and which ladders).

[Ryon]

Allows other to become a threat to you and your work as well. The scientest still has to prove there self to a degree by expalining fundimental aspects of there stuff so to protect it from other people claiming there fundimental later. This is a razors edge of information. It is needed to inquire claime to there developed volume however any information gives others a chance to try and take it from them with acurate yet vague statements that stem from them repeating what they learned from them.

[vitorization]

tá passando todo mundo rapidão hein Simon 👍😂

[John-]

This is unparalleled. I read a book with similar content, and it was unparalleled. "The Hidden Empire: Inside the Private Worlds of Elite CEOs" by Adam Skylight

[SouthburyGirl]

Well, that's great he addressed the importance of clear communication, but then completely ignored the question of "how to improve strategic thinking."

[gerardoperez]

What if the scientist is a truck driver? How should you communicate now?

[daoyang]

How come you don't put all of these questions into one video?

[Anonymous]

But he communicated in a way that even a truck driver could understand. Isn't that what's important?

[arzoo_singh]

Agree but this makes sense .
Make it easy .
But, choose the room if you are in a room where there are experts in the field, they know what you are talking and they get bored with basic .
So you have to change the tone and language, now don't talk like a novice .

So, yes Mostly easy language
But change the mode according to situation and people .

[j_go]

0:53 "great believer"..."...speak like a truck driver..." At first listen, I thought he was referring to the trucking industry and speaking their language. I later realized he was referring to truck drivers as those who are "simple" or speak simply. If I were a truck driver, I'd be offended.

[madraschap]

Don't just talk like a truck driver (and not like a scientist) but also think like a truck driver (and not like an (academic) scientist).

[dafydd]

Note if you skip the first 15 seconds: he's actually answering a different question from the one listed in the video title...

[realistic.optimist]

Business is full of buzzwords that make people roll their eyes. And when executive leadership starts with them people know they really do not understand the business they are in only spreadsheets, ROI's, and NPV's.