The power behind Why
In 2009, author Simon Sinek gave a TED called “How Great Leaders Inspire Action.” This 18 and a half minute long viral TED talk called on business leaders to “Start With Why.” “Why” isn’t just a word, it’s a powerful concept.
Simon Sinek demonstrates why organizations guided by this concept will succeed more often than those which don’t.
- Assume You Know
Start With Why” dives into the assumptions we make and the impact they have on our actions. Sinek gives examples of scenarios where looking at the bigger picture can shape your behavior towards driving long-term results. Take the classic example of American car manufacturers versus the Japanese. In American car factories, workers on the assembly line apply final fixes on doors using a rubber mallet, whereas in Japan the doors are engineered to fit perfectly from the start.
- Carrots and Sticks
According to Sinek, there are two ways to attract customers: inspiring the carrots or manipulating the sticks. Most of the sales tactics used by businesses today involve manipulation. These include price, promotions, fear, aspirations, peer pressure, and novelty. Pricing and promotions are the most commonly identified forms of sales manipulation, but fear, aspirations, peer pressure, and novelty tend to be more discrete.
Regardless of the type of manipulation, it is important to understand these are short-term solutions that end up leading to a cycle of repeated manipulation.
- The Golden Circle
The core of Simon Sinek’s “Start With Why” is his discovery of The Golden Circle. There are three parts of The Golden Circle: Why, How, and What.
Why: Very few people or companies can clearly articulate why they do what they do. This isn’t about running a profitable company—that’s a result. Why is it all about your purpose? Why does your company exist? Why do you get out of bed in the morning? And why should anyone care?
How: Some people and companies know how they do what they do. Whether you call them a ‘’ differentiating value proposition’’ or a ‘’unique selling proposition,’’ HOWs are often given to explain how something is different or better.
What: Every single company on the planet knows what they do. This is true no matter how big or small the company is, or no matter what industry they belong to. Everyone can easily describe the products or services their company sells or the job function they have within the company.
- How a Tipping Point Tips
How do you differentiate between a fad and an idea that can change lives forever?
The Law of Diffusion of Innovations stated by Everett M. Rogers pertains to the bell curve of product adoption. The curve outlines the percentage of the market who adopt your product, beginning with the Innovators (2.5%), followed by Early Adopters (13.5%), Early Majority (34%), Late Majority (34%), and Laggards (16%).
The ones who queued up for hours, or days outside an Apple store to buy the latest iPhone are all early adopters and belong to the left side of the curve. The people on the far right instead are never content and never loyal. For a business, it would be prudent to get to know them the far right side of this curve better, so that you don’t waste time and money in trying to convert them. While some of them might end up doing business with you, they’ll probably switch to one of your competitors at the drop of a hat if they get a better deal.
The goal of business then is to be crystal clear about their “Why” and find people who believe what you believe. Once you get enough of the 15-18% on the left side of the bell curve, they will encourage the rest to follow.
- Know Why. Know-How. Then What?
When a company is small, a founder has plenty of direct contact with the outside world. As it grows the leader’s role changes. He/she will no longer be the loudest part of the megaphone; he/she will become the source of the message that is to flow through the megaphone.
The “Why” exists in the part of the brain that controls feelings and decision making but not language. “Whats” exists in the part of the brain that controls rational thought and language.
The leader is the inspiration, the symbol of the reason we do what we do. They represent the emotional limbic brain. What the company says and does represent the rational thought and language of the neocortex.
Most companies struggle to differentiate or communicate their true value to the outside world. When we as human beings struggle to put emotions into words, we rely on metaphors, imagery, and analogies in an attempt to communicate how we feel. We use symbols. We create tangible things for those who believe in what we believe to say. If done properly, that’s what marketing products and services are; a way for organizations to communicate to the world outside.