Inspiring Action.... Start With 'Why?'

I’ve been getting stuck into some great Ted Talks online recently...

One of which really gripped me recently: Simon Sinek talking about how great leaders inspire action…

Simon believes that great leaders can inspire those who come into contact with them by creating an environment that is based on cooperation and trust. Change is another important piece of this puzzle. He studied many world leaders and found numerous patterns in how they communicate, think and act.

Sinek's belief is that all great leadership and inspiration starts with the question of "WHY?".

He explores several people and moments in history. He comes to the conclusion that there must be something special about those who become great leaders and inspire those around them to achieve…

 Apple is just one of many big players within technology and the Wright Brothers were not the only ones who were attempting to give people the gift of flight. Sinek believes that those who become inspirational leaders are able to tap into a different vein of thinking than everyone else.

 While this idea may sound complex, it is actually pretty simple. Sinek refers to it as the "golden circle." This concept is all about doing what you do every day, but knowing WHY you do it. This is also why you should never settle on just making a profit or lining your pockets. Leaders who inspire have a whole new approach to the "why?" question that enables them to stand out.

When we consider the "why?" before we do things, it affects our actions and the methods that we choose to communicate with each other. By changing the way we look at the world from the outside in, our fuzziest thoughts and ideas become absolutely clear.

 Communicating in this manner allows us to distil complex ideas and make them easier to understand. To use the Apple example again, Apple does not present themselves as a company that simply makes computers and electronic products. They present themselves as a company that is interested in changing the status quo. Pushing the boundaries…

 They succeed because they know why they are in business in the first place, not just because their products are good. If you don't know why you are doing something, then it is next to impossible to get people to follow you. Leaders are not in the business of inspiring people to get what they have, they are in the business of getting people to think in the same manner as they do, to view the world through a different prism.

 In today's crowded marketplace, no one is going to buy into you and your products if you do not know why you are creating them.

 A great leader inspires people around them by working with a sense of purpose and by having the presence of mind to know that people do not follow anyone because they have to.

 People follow because they want to. Starting with "why?" is the best way to get people on board with where you are at and most importantly, where you are heading...

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Richard Evans