In Start with Why, Simon Sinek proposes that, by finding your “why,” or your reason for doing or being, you can gain many benefits in both your work and personal lives. Your “why” should be the center of everything that you do, the thing that gets you up in the morning, and the thing that you strive for, always. But when bringing the “why” into fruition, what can you expect in return?
Inspire Others
Generating inspiration in others is one of the hardest tasks for any leader. Paying someone for their efforts will get someone to complete their work, but to get someone to actually care about the cause, something deeper will have to be established first. That’s where finding your why comes in.
One of the benefits of having a strong “why” in a company is that it generates a sense of belonging. A “why” is a unifying reason beyond the weekly paycheck that everyone can believe in. And, when everyone does their job well, you all can celebrate around the same cause. In fact, Sinek says, those companies with strong “whys” tend to have greater employee satisfaction, happiness, and motivation.
Personal Charisma
When you have a personal “why” or align your professional work to your company’s “why,” it draws other people in. As Sinek writes, “When we tell people to do their jobs, we get workers. When we trust people to get the job done, we get leaders.” Being a leader in your company, and one with a foundation of a good “why,” makes others want to follow. Your own passion and inspiration is infectious, and your attitude will go on to make others find their own “why.”
When done properly, your “why” will even inspire changes in your state of mind, bringing about a positive shift in the way you treat others and think of yourself. Overall, when you have a reason to be, you will find yourself with more charisma than before.
Faithful Clients
In a world where companies are constantly trying to outdo each other, Sinek proposes that we try to outdo ourselves. Essentially, our work shouldn’t always be comparing our results to others, but rather a constant reexamination of the ways we’re succeeding in our “why” or failing. When you have a product that’s based on these principles, others will take notice, and the way you interact with your customers, clients, and vendors will change.
As with employees, those external to your company will be drawn into your inspiring pursuit of meaning and the difference it makes to your product. It will give them a better reason to choose your company and stick with them over time, as well as inspiring them to choose and pursue their own “why.”
In the end, you can expect these positive changes and many more to come out of finding your “why.” Thousands of companies have been impacted for the better by Simon Sinek’s Start with Why, and we’re one of them. We start with each client’s “why” in all of our projects. Find yours to start growing for the better.