When we think of a leader, we picture an individual standing in front of a group of people, arms at their sides, speaking with a loud booming voice and telling an audience what to do. We think of power and guidance — someone full of confidence and determination.
Although all these attributes are part of being a good leader, we’re missing a crucial point. All of the great leaders of history share something that makes them stand out above all others; their ambition starts with the “why” not the “what.”
Picture a Target with three sections. The outer ring is the “what” section: what someone is selling, what someone gains and what their company does. The middle ring is the “how” section: how they carry out their purpose, how someone purchases from them or how they gain money for their company. The center of the circle — the most important — is the “why” section: why people should care and why it matters.
Most people start with the “what” section and work their way inward, never fully reaching the center. For example, if someone asked why a person worked for a certain company, most people would respond with, “Because I need the money,” or “I need to support a family.” These answers are not the “why.” They are the “what” — what you gain in return for working for that company. “Why” tends to be the hardest ring to reach because it requires a more emotional response and connection to the cause.
Leaders stick out because they start with the “why” and move out. Their confidence and determination start with purpose and determination to make a difference. Here’s an example:
When selling a cell phone, the audience will hear an advertisement that sounds more or less like, “Our company sells high quality cell phones. Our team consists of determined, highly-qualified professionals who strive to create the best products for our customers. Want to buy a cell phone?”
This is not a bad approach. The company told us what it was selling and how it creates the products. Simple and straightforward. It started with the “what” and went to the “how,” but the advertisement never reached the “why.” As a result, the audience wasn’t captured and persuaded to buy a cell phone because the company advertised it as just that — a cell phone.
What if the company’s advertisement sounded something like, “At our company, we believe in the power of connection, belonging and having the freedom to explore the world. Because of this, we endeavor to provide that freedom for you — our customers — to explore, to grow and to connect with the world around you. At our company, the world is at your fingertips. Want to buy a cell phone?”
Different, right? All of a sudden we feel emotion. It doesn’t seem like the company is selling a cell phone anymore. It is selling a cause. The people who agree with that cause are automatically drawn to the company and its products. Because it started with “why,” the audience not only trusts the company and the cell phone, but its computers, tablets and headphones.
Simon Sinek, author of the 2009 bestseller “Start With Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action,” said, “People don’t buy what you do; they buy why you do it. And what you do simply proves what you believe.”
A great leader knows the importance of a cause. They see the value behind what they do and, as a result, inspire others to follow them and their passion. If someone has heart, they will have the energy to lead and to inspire others, no matter the cause. It all starts with “why.”
@TheChrony