The more clear they can be, the betterHowever, after the death of its founders, the company focused only on low prices, forgetting about helping people and the communities they entered. They “start from WHY”.That’s key to build a following and even to sell because, as Sinek stresses many times, When we start with WHY we go from the inside out of the circle.WHY is the reason to buy and the WHATs merely represent the tangible products as a proof of that belief.Simon Sinek heavily cites Apple all across the book.He says there is nothing technically special about Apple, it’s just a company like another.Some marketing professionals will tell you Apple sells a lifestyle.Well, Simon Sinek disagrees and puts it the other way around: Apple doesn’t sell a lifestyle, Apple is simply one of those brands that people with a certain lifestyle are attracted to.The products they choose become proof of WHY they do the things they do. “Why” is the reason to buy and the “Whats” merely represent the tangible products as a proof of that belief. This is responsible for all our rational and analytical thought and language.
At the beginning, ideas areBut for passion to thrive and survive, it also needs structures and “Hows.” Most companies fail because both “Hows” and “Whys” need each other.You’ve probably heard that before you start a business, market research is key. But how do you know what is good for you and what isn’t? Pricing and promotions are the most commonly identified forms of sales manipulation, but fear, aspirations, peer pressure, and novelty tend to be more discrete.Regardless of the type of manipulation, it is important to understand these are short-term solutions which end up leading to a cycle of repeated manipulation. Take the case of Creative versus Apple. No, because it’s time-consuming, expensive and scatterbrained. Charisma commands loyalty while energy doesn’t.Behind every “Why” type of leader, is a “How” type of leader who brings the “Why” to life.“Why” types are the visionaries with overactive imaginations. They remember those lessons for weeks, months or even years. In American car factories, workers on the assembly line apply final fixes on doors using a rubber mallet, whereas in Japan the doors are engineered to fit perfectly from the start. They marketed it though as a “5GB mp3 player”, like a WHAT. That’s probably where every company starts.
Aligning Why, How and What is a way to build that trust.Companies that act like commodity producers have a constant challenge to differentiate themselves from the competition.
Whether you call them a ‘’differentiating value proposition’’ or a ‘’unique selling proposition,’’ HOWs are often given to explain how something is different or better. Finding the “Why” is a process of discovery, not invention.The “Why” is within you. “How” types instead are more practical and more realist and tend to be focused on the things most people can see and tend to be better at building them.Interestingly, Simon Sinek says that “How” types can be very successful but rarely do they build billion dollar businesses that change the world. What does “Start With WHY” even mean?Every company knows WHAT they do because everyone can easily describe the products or the function they have within that organization.HOWs are values and principles guiding how you bring your cause to life.
We’re always comparing ourselves to the competition. Walmart got into serious trouble when it lost its initial “Why.”Sinek says that gaining a clarity of “Why” is not the hardest part. And they can use Apple’s products because Apple’s WHY is so clear.It’s the same for other brands who managed to build a following: Harley Davidson fits into a well-defined group and Prada fits the lifestyle of another group.The loyalists and cheerleaders for each brand will tell you they choose them based on features and benefits, but in truth, the bond is deeper: it’s about who they are.Simon Sinek says that’s not just his opinion but it’s rooted in biology and the drive to belong.We want to be around people -and organizations- who are like us and share our beliefs.When companies start with WHY, with what they believe, they will tap into our innate drive to include those products as symbols of The Mac type is a young guy, dressed casual, relaxed and with a sense of humor making fun of “the system”.Neither are better, Simon Sinek says, it’s about where you feel like you belong.And the opposite is true: that same drive to belong also make us feel what does not belong.When organizations and leaders start from why they are talking directly to the part of the brain controlling decisions (“gut decisions”).People make decisions that just “feel right”, cannot explain why they did it and will rationalize it and verbalize it with something else.So, says Sinek, they won’t tell you they choose Apple because they see themselves as someone who likes to challenge the status quo and Apple serves him to prove to the world who he is and what he believes in.That’s what actually happened in the non-rational part of the brain that controls behavior, but people don’t have a rational understanding of that. And the only reason symbols have meaning is because we give them a meaning. Start With Why Summary Chapter 5: The Three Principles of The Golden Circle The Golden Circle is a powerful tool that helps you run inspirational companies or become a great leader. They tried expanding into different verticals but quickly retreated to “focus on their core business”.Energy motivates but charisma inspires. In this telling book, Simon Sinek demonstrates why organizations guided by this concept will succeed more often than those which don’t.The first chapter of “Start With Why” dives into the assumptions we make and the impact they have on our actions.