I made the summary of the book “Start With Why” because I found it inspiring. Simon Sinek brings a vision based on many examples, always seeking to demonstrate to the reader why some leaders, companies and brands manage to attract followers without the need for manipulation.
“Start with why” is a book written by Simon Sinek, where the author presents the idea that great companies and inspiring leaders are those who start by defining the reason for their existence. He argues that having a clear and authentic purpose is the key to motivating people, building loyalty and achieving lasting success.
In the first chapter, Sinek explains the concept of the “Golden Circle”, which represents the three questions that companies must answer to have a clear purpose: Why? As? Which is?
The author explains that most companies focus on the “what” – what they produce or sell – but the most successful companies start with the “why” – their reason for being. He uses Apple as an example, showing how the company is focused on its purpose to challenge the status quo and think differently.
In the second chapter, Sinek discusses the importance of the limbic brain, the part of the brain responsible for emotions and behavior. He argues that people make decisions based on how they feel, and that companies should focus on making their customers and employees feel good.
In the third chapter, the author presents the concept of “Law of Diffusion of Innovation”, which explains how ideas spread in a society. He shows how important it is to have a group of “innovators” and “early adopters” who support your idea before it spreads to the majority.
In the fourth chapter, Sinek discusses how companies must lead with a clear purpose, not just focusing on financial results. He uses the story of Southwest Airlines founder Herb Kelleher as an example, showing how he focused on creating a culture and purpose that inspired his employees.
In the fifth chapter, the author presents the idea that companies should hire people who believe in their purpose and share their values. He uses Zappos as an example, showing how the company focuses on hiring people who fit its culture rather than just looking at technical skills.
In the sixth chapter, Sinek discusses the importance of clear and consistent communication of a company’s purpose. He uses Barack Obama’s presidential campaign as an example, showing how the “Yes We Can” message focused on a clear and inspiring purpose.
In the seventh chapter, the author discusses the idea that companies should create an environment in which their employees can feel safe to take risks and be creative. He uses the company IDEO as an example, showing how they create a fun and collaborative work environment.
In the eighth chapter, Sinek discusses how companies should focus on building relationships with their customers, rather than just business transactions. He uses the story of organic food company Patagonia as an example, showing how they focus on creating a community of people who care about the environment.
If You Follow Your WHY, Others Will Follow You
Now think about how we do business. We are always competing with someone. We are always trying to be better than others. Better quality. More features. Best service. We always compare ourselves with others. And nobody wants to help us.
What if we went to work every day simply to be better than ourselves? What if our goal was to do a better job this week than what we did the week before? Make this month better than last month? For no other reason than that we want to leave the organization in a better position than we found it? All organizations start with WHY, but only the great ones keep their WHY clear year after year.
The ones that forget WHY they were founded show up in the race every day to outdo someone else instead of outdo themselves. The purpose, for those who lose sight of WHY they are in that race, is to win a medal or beat someone else. What if the next time someone asks “Who is your competitor?” Were we to answer, “I have no idea”?
What if the next time someone teases us by saying, “Well, what makes you better than your competitors?” we respond, “Aren’t we better than them in all things”? What if the next time someone asks, “Well, then why should I do business with you?” we confidently answer, “Because the work we’re doing now is better than the work we were doing six months ago.
And the work we’ll be doing six months from now will be better than what we’re doing now. Because we wake up every day with a clear idea of WHY we came to work.
