Inspiring Book: Start with Why

How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action

In this book, you learn

• Why great leaders want to inspire their customers, rather than manipulating them into buying.
• What inspirational leaders do to build employees’ and customers’ trust.

“People don’t buy what you do, they buy why you do it.”

Inspirational Leadership

Regardless of industry or technology, great leaders know the reasons why they do whatever they do. They follow their passion and have a vision they are able to articulate.

“The goal of business should not be to simply sell to anyone who wants what you have, but rather to find people who believe what you believe.”

Manipulation versus Inspiration

Most sellers manipulate rather than inspire. Companies influence customers by leveraging price, promotions, fear, and peer pressure. Such manipulation harvests short-term transactions, but it doesn’t earn long-term customer loyalty. Businesses say their customers choose them because they offer the best products or services at the best price. In reality, companies often don’t know why their customers act as they do. Manipulation leads to transactions, not loyalty.

The Golden Circle

The Golden Circle shows how inspirational leaders are able to inspire action instead of manipulating people to act. They start with establishing their mission with Why in the center, then move outward to How and then What.

• Your Why stems from your core purpose, cause, or belief: the reason why your company exists.
• Your How explains the ways your offer is unique and desirable.
• Your What defines the obvious characteristics of your products or services.

“Trust begins to merge when we have a sense that another person or organization is driven by things other than their self-gain.”

The Emergence of Trust and Loyalty

Trust does not emerge simply because a seller evokes rational sales arguments explaining why the customer should buy a product or service. Trust is not a checklist. Trust is earned by communicating and demonstrating the same values and beliefs.

When you are selective about doing business only with those who believe in your WHY, trust emerges. Where trust is built, value is perceived and loyalty is won. Loyalty is earned when people are willing to suffer some inconvenience or pay a premium price to do business with you.

Take-Aways

• Inspirational leaders start by identifying their purpose, cause, or vision.
• Less successful leaders and companies work from the outside in: What-How-Why. Successful organizations and leaders work from the inside out: Why-How-What.
• WHY is a belief, HOWs are the actions taken to realize that belief, and WHATs are the results of those actions. When all three are in balance, trust is built and value is perceived.
• Your ideal customers share your belief. They are those who will recruit others to your cause.

About the Author

Simon Sinek is a British author, motivational speaker, and marketing consultant. He teaches leaders and organizations how to inspire people. His book ‘Start With Why’ expands on his popular TED Talk, How great leaders inspire action.