Review: Simon Sinek, How great leaders inspire action

Golden Circle

1. Why they do it (purpose, call, believe, why your organization exist, why you get out of bed in the morning, why should anyone care)
2. How they do it (differentiation, unique selling proposition)
3. What they do (making profit is a result)

We think from what (the clearest thing) to why (the fuzzy thing); the inspired leader/organization think from why to what.

Apple Example:

• Why 1st: We make great computers. They are beautifully designed, simple to use and user friendly. Want to buy one?
• Why 1st: Everything we do, we believe in challenging the status quo, we believe in thinking differently. The way we challenge the status quo is by making our product beautifully designed, ... we just happend to make great computers. Want to buy one?

The Brain:

• Limbic Brain: feelings, trust, loyalty, human behaviour, decision making
• Neo Cortex: What-level, rational, analytical, language

People don't buy what you do, but why you did it. What you do simply serve as the proofs in what you believe.

Wright Brothers vs Samuel Pierpont Langley Example:

• Langley have $50,000 from War Department, extremely well connected, hired the best mind in the industry and the market condition is excellend (NY Times always follow them). 
• Wright Brothers have no money, no college education, and NY Times didn't follow them; they are driven by a cause: they believe if they could figure the flying machine, they could change the world! 
• Langly wanted to be rich and famous. He was not in persuit of the result, he was in persuit of the richness. The day the wright brothers took flight, he quit.

Tivo Example:

• What 1st: We have a product that pauses live TV, skip commercials, rewinds live TV and memorises your viewing habbits without you even asking
• Why 1st: If you are the kind of person who likes to have total control over every aspect of your life, boy do we have a product for you. It pauses live Tv, ...

Dr. Marin Lurther King:

• Why 1st: We followed not for him, but for ourselves; he gave the "I have a Dream" speech, not "I have a Plan" speech.

Leaders holds the authority and power, but those who leads inspires us. We follow those who leads not because we have to, but because we want to. We follow those who leads not for them, but for ourselves.

And those who starts with "Why" have the ability to inspire others, and found others who inspire them.