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by Simon Sinek
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Start With Why is Simon Sinek’s mission to help others do work, which inspires them, and uses real-world examples of great leaders to show you how they communicate and how you can adapt their mindset to inspire others yourself.
Start With Why is Simon Sinek’s mission to help others do work, which inspires them, and uses real-world examples of great leaders to show you how they communicate and how you can adapt their mindset to inspire others yourself.
This is Simon’s key idea in a nutshell: “People don’t buy what you do, they buy why you do it.”
Every company in the world knows what they do, which is why it’s the first thing they tell people about. But rationale is a weak way of trying to get us to make decisions, probably the weakest of them all.
That’s because emotions trump reason every time. When we make a decision based on a strong why, we own it.
Only when we know why we do things, will we feel a sense of belonging. That’s why it’s a much more powerful way of getting us to decide.
Once we are sold on the cause of an idea, we’ll go above and beyond to support it with our money and time. And in the cases of some movements, even with our lives.
Great leaders and companies naturally get this right. They start all communication with why they do things, eventually followed by how they do things. And they reveal what it is they actually do very last.
Apple is a great example. First, they tell us why they’re here to shake things up, then they tell us how (with easy-to-use, beautifully designed products). Finally, we find out what they make: computers, phones, tablets, and mp3-players.
By the time they get to their what, we’re long sold on their cause and are ready to support them in every way we can.
If you want to inspire others, start by telling them why you do things, instead of what you do, and you’ll see a massive change in engagement.
Which business wouldn’t want their employees to go above and beyond for the company’s success?
To do this, start by building your business around a cause. Then, assemble people who share your why.
Instead of relying on big paychecks, threatening deadlines or highly qualified graduates, look for the people who are already motivated by the same reasons as you are and inspire them even more.
Who would you rather have working for you?
Excel pro Johnny, who’s only here to collect his consulting fee? Or Lisa, who needs some time to learn, but wants to see the world change in the same way you do?
Hire people for their cause, not their craft, and watch your business bloom.
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Get the complete summary in the appIf you want to inspire others, always communicate your why first.
Excited employees are the backbone of the best businesses.
When you start with why there’s no need for sleazy sales tactics.
"Start With Why" is a strong fit if you want practical ideas around business, communication skills, creativity—especially themes like if you want to inspire others, always communicate your why first; excited employees are the backbone of the best businesses. The MinuteRead summary distills these concepts into a focused read, whether you're deciding whether to buy the book or applying its lessons at work.
Simon Sinek is an optimist. He teaches leaders and organizations how to inspire people. From members of Congress to foreign ambassadors, from small businesses to corporations like Microsoft and 3M, from Hollywood to the Pentagon, he has presented his ideas about the power of why. He has written two books, Leaders Eat Last and Start With Why and is quoted frequently by national publications. Sinek also regularly shares 140 characters of inspiration on Twitter (@simonsinek).
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