Start With Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action by Simon Sinek helps identify an idea of a ‘golden circle’ in three consecutive rings. The Why, How, and What provide a foundation to show certain stories are successful. When measuring ‘why’ they succeeded against, in some cases overwhelming odds.
Simon acknowledges that many talented companies make good products. But they are also a short term success story. Simon shows how Tivo fits this example.
But only a few really understand ‘the why’ that makes their efforts timeless. These groups (or individuals) succeed beyond all expectations. Focusing on your purpose and cause you cannot only find success, but also differentiate yourself.
Above all, Simon’s story of the Wright Brothers success is a key example of ‘Why’ matters. Simon provides a vivid example of achieving success based upon the Golden Circle.
Samuel Langley worked to become the first man to fly an airplane. He was very qualified to tackle this challenge. In 1880 he invent the Bolometer. Langley was a professor of mathematics at the Naval Academy. He also worked at Harvard University. By the late 1880s, Langley was a senior officer at the Smithsonian Institution. Then the US War Department funded ($50,000 grant) his airplane project. Langley assembled a team of very talented engineers. Even Alexander Gram Bell followed Langley and photographed early test flights. So by all accounts he was gong to be the first to fly a plane.
Enter the Wright Brothers of Dayton Ohio. Neither Orville or Wilbur went to college. How did they succeed where Langley failed? Simon placed the failure of Langley’s goal to be famous as his friends Andrew Carnegie and Alexander Graham Bell. To further illustrate this point, after December 1903 when the Wright Flyer found success, Langley simply quit and walked away.
To be fair Simon does not share the three axis control the Wrights invented. Langley’s aircraft placed the pilot in harms way due to a lack of proper flight dynamics.
Similarly, regarding the business of commercial flight Simon tells the story of Southwest Airlines. Their ideas in the early days of launching the company became a huge success. Competitors mimicked Southwest’s operations but failed terribly. Simon shows they never had ‘why’ defined for their customers.
Throughout the book Simon relied heavily upon Apple as a key success story. There is almost too much emphasis. I would be welcome other brands who have strongly established ‘why’ for their market success. Yes Apple’s success is easy to identify, it seems a bit too much at times. Still not convinced to read this book?
TED Talk | How great leaders inspire action