Video Resources

A 4 minutes summary of Start With Why.

An 18 minute explanation of ALL the ideas of Start With Why.

The Golden Circle: Sinek introduces the concept of the Golden Circle, a three-tiered model consisting of three concentric circles: why, how, and what. He argues that while most organizations focus primarily on the what (products or services) and how (differentiators, processes), the most successful ones start with why—their purpose, cause, or belief.

1. The Power of Why: Sinek asserts that understanding and communicating the why behind actions, products, or movements is what inspires loyalty, engagement, and innovation. He presents examples from companies like Apple, Southwest Airlines, and Martin Luther King Jr. to illustrate how starting with why can create passionate followers and drive long-term success.

2. The Biology of Belief: Drawing on neuroscience and psychology, Sinek explains why humans are wired to respond to why-driven messages. He discusses the role of the limbic brain, which governs emotions and decision-making, in shaping our perceptions and behaviors.

3. The Law of Diffusion of Innovation: Sinek introduces the Law of Diffusion of Innovation, which explains how ideas and products spread through society. He argues that successful adoption of innovations requires appealing to early adopters and influencers who resonate with the why behind the innovation.

4. Leading with Why: The book explores the characteristics of effective leaders who inspire others to take action. Sinek emphasizes the importance of authenticity, integrity, and a clear sense of purpose in leadership, highlighting leaders like Martin Luther King Jr. and Steve Jobs as examples.

5. Discovering Your Why: Sinek provides practical guidance for individuals and organizations to discover their why. He encourages introspection, storytelling, and collaboration to uncover core values and beliefs that drive behavior and decision-making.

6. Implementing Your Why: The book offers strategies for integrating the why into every aspect of an organization, from hiring and culture-building to marketing and product development. Sinek emphasizes the importance of consistency and authenticity in aligning actions with purpose.

7. Sustaining Your Why: Sinek discusses the challenges of maintaining a focus on why amid external pressures and changing circumstances. He emphasizes the need for resilience, adaptability, and a commitment to purpose-driven decision-making.

Overall, "Start With Why" is a compelling exploration of the power of purpose-driven leadership and its transformative impact on individuals, organizations, and society. It challenges readers to rethink traditional approaches to success and inspires them to lead with authenticity, passion, and a clear sense of purpose.

“People don’t buy WHAT you do, they buy WHY you do it.”

“Good quality and features matter, but they are not enough to produce the dogged loyalty that all the most inspiring leaders and companies are able to command. It is the cause that is represented by the company, brand, product, or person that inspires loyalty.”

“When a company clearly communicates their WHY, what they believe, and we believe what they believe, then we will sometimes go to extraordinary lengths to include those products or brands in our lives. This is not because they are better, but because they become markers or symbols of the values and beliefs we hold dear.”

“When we communicate from the outside in, when we communicate WHAT we do first, yes, people can understand vast amounts of complicated information, like facts and features, but it does not drive behavior. But when we communicate from the inside out (Starting with WHY), we’re talking directly to the part of the brain that controls decision-making, and our language part of the brain allows us to rationalize those decisions.”

“Great leaders and great organizations are good at seeing what most of us can’t see.”

“If the leader of the organization can’t clearly articulate WHY the organization exists in terms beyond its products or services, then how does he expect the employees to know WHY to come to work?…To lead requires those who willingly follow. It requires those who believe in something bigger than a single issue. To inspire starts with the clarity of WHY.”

“Once you know WHY you do what you do, the question is HOW will you do it? HOWs are your values or principles that guide HOW to bring your cause to life.”

“A WHY is just a belief. THat’s all it is. HOWs are the actions you take to realize that belief. And WHATs are the results of those actions—everything you say and do: your products, services, marketing, PR, culture, and whom you hire.”

“If the levels of The Golden Circle (WHAT, HOW, and WHY) are in balance, all those who share the organization’s view of the world will be drawn to it and its products like a moth to a light bulb.”

“The goal of business should not be to do business with anyone who simply wants what you have. It should be to focus on the people who believe what you believe. When we are selective about doing business only with those who believe in our WHY, trust emerges.”

“You have to earn trust by communicating and demonstrating that you share the same values and beliefs. You have to talk about your WHY and prove it with WHAT you do. Again, a WHY is just a belief, HOWs are the actions we take to realize that belief, and WHATs are the results of those actions. When all three are in balance, trust is built and value is perceived.”

“A company is a culture. A group of people brought together around a common set of values and beliefs…The goal is not to hire people who simply have a skill set you need, the goal is to hire people who believe what you believe.”

“Companies with a strong sense of WHY are able to inspire their employees. Those employees are more productive and innovative, and the feeling they bring to work attracts other people eager to work there as well.”

“WHY-types have the power to change the course of industries or even the world…if only the knew HOW. WHY-types need HOW-types.”

“Communication is not about speaking, it’s about listening.”

“What companies say and do matters. A lot. It is at the WHAT level that a cause is brought to life. It is at this level that a company speaks to the outside world and it is then that we can learn what the company believes.”

“If you follow your WHY, others will follow you.”