Simon Sinek is a self-described optimist. The author of just two books—Start with Why and Leaders Eat Last—Sinek has made a huge impact on the world of leadership. We’ve curated a few of our favourite takeaways from the man who’s made it his mission to “teach leaders and companies how to inspire people.”
- The prerequisite for leadership
Frequently, as Sinek points out in his 2014 book Leaders Eat Last, individuals are promoted to leadership positions because they’re able to complete tasks well. They can do well. However, good leadership isn’t about completing tasks. It’s about embodying traits such as integrity and trust. “Those who work hardest to help others succeed will be seen by the group as the leader or the ‘alpha’ of the group,” says Sinek. “And being the alpha – the strong, supportive one of the group, the one willing to sacrifice time and energy so that others may gain – is a prerequisite for leadership.” - Has your WHY gone fuzzy?
This comes courtesy of the book that started it all for Simon Sinek, 2009’s Start with WHY. Often negative change occurs because the WHY of a leader is not clearly articulated. “The reason the change happens is simple – they suffered a split and their WHY went fuzzy,” writes Sinek. This was at the heart of Wal-Mart’s downfall in the 1980s. After the death of its CEO, the company began putting profits ahead of their core belief in the importance of community. As Chris Taylor writes in his summary, “Do you have a vision statement? Do you know your (individual or company) purpose for being? Spend a few minutes thinking about the WHY. Forget about the features and benefits of your product(s) for a moment and think about why your company exists in the first place.” - Meet the people you help
There was so much good stuff in Leaders Eat Last that we published a second summary on it (yes, the book is that good!). In the book, Sinek reminds us that “Human beings have thrived for fifty thousand years not because we are driven to serve ourselves, but because we are inspired to serve others.” “Let’s help our teams love their jobs by helping them see the impact of what they do,” writes Jill Donahue in her summary. “When we work to ‘provide shareholder value’ and are removed from the greater purpose of what our efforts contribute to, we do less and are less engaged. When leaders give us something noble to be a part of, offer us a compelling purpose or reason why we should come to work, people are happier and may even make sacrifices in their own short term comfort for the good of the cause.” So, make it a priority to give your team tangible proof of all of the good that they’re doing each and every day. You’re guaranteed to have a more engaged team.
Bonus: Check out our 2010 and 2014 video interviews with Simon Sinek, as well as our 2014 dual podcast interview with Sinek and David Marquet, from the Actionable archive.
What takeaway from Simon Sinek has left a lasting impression on you?
