The problem with Simon Sinek's "Start With Why"
Since his 2009 Ted Talk How great leaders inspire action, Simon Sinek has achieved widespread praise and popularity. Like me, you may have seen his famous Ted Talk or read one of his numerous books. The main concept he teaches is this: People don't buy what you do; they buy why you do it. I don't disagree with that. But, I think it's deeper than that. And even worse, there's a dangerous problem lurking within the heart of his "Start With Why" model.
This is best illustrated with a story...
A brilliant businessman in the early 20th century started a company focused on innovative energy solutions. Back in those days, things were running mostly of inefficient and dirty coal. He knew there had to be something better and cleaner. Due to his obsession with finding a more viable energy source, he nearly went bankrupt with nothing to show for it. On the brink of failure... Finally, success! He proved he could deliver, convinced the British government to switch from coal to his new methods, and drastically reduced coal consumption. His company was one of the first energy companies in the world to announce going green. When others fought against it, his organization stood up in agreement with Global Warming, pledging to help end it. If you asked them for their Why they would say, "To provide energy in a way that does no harm to people or the environment." In fact, that was in their mission statement. Sounds like a great, innovative company with a fantastic Why, right?
This isn't just a story. It's a true story. And it is quite inspirational. But, it's also truly terrifying. Here's why: That company, founded by William D'Arcy, you know as British Petroleum, or BP. Yeah, the guys responsible for the largest oil spill in history (still actively leaking, by the way). They have a horrible track record of spills, illegal dumping of hazardous materials, air pollution violations and oil rig disasters. Corporate corruption watchdog organization Project on Government Oversight lists 76 instances of misconduct at BP since (just) 1995, racking up to over $35 billion in penalties. They're one of the all-time worst rated companies for corporate misconduct. But they lead with a great Why!
That's the problem with "Start With Why." Why can be a lie. Companies can pick whatever Why they want, regardless of how they actually behave. Why lies work well on us, and if we're not careful we can easily get caught up in it. Companies and leaders need to lead with Truth first, and let that define their Why. Don't fake your purpose to attain market share. Align yourself with Truth and you you'll attract what you need for the right reasons. Oh, and you'll probably avoid billion dollar fines, by the way.
More and more companies are adopting the Why model. My advice is this: Be wary of Start with Why companies. They're not all bad, by any means. But, whether you're a client, partner or consumer, make sure their true intentions are deeper than their slick Why statement. Search them for passion. Investigate them for truth. Make sure their Why is actually aligned with who they are and what they do.
Start with Why? I say: Start with Truth.