By Simon Sinek
The book explains how inspirational leaders and organizations achieve lasting success by starting with a clear and compelling why (their purpose, cause, or belief). Instead of focusing on what they do or how they do it, great leaders begin with why they do it. This book promotes the value of the emphasis on why but it doesn’t offer anything in the way of identifying it. Sinek has written a follow-up, Find Your WHY, which addresses that. That one is on my shelf and in my queue for reading.
Core Concept:
- “People don’t buy what you do; they buy why you do it.”
- Sinek introduces the Golden Circle:
- Why – The cause or belief that inspires you.
- How – The values and processes that bring the why to life.
- What – The tangible products or services offered.
- Sinek introduces the Golden Circle:
Key Points:
- Truly great companies and leaders inspire by communicating from the inside out, starting with why.
- Emotional connection (driven by why) is more powerful in influencing behavior than rational appeals (based on what).
- Trust and loyalty grow when organizations lead with their why, rather than relying on manipulative tactics like discounts or fear.
The Celery Test:
- A metaphor for decision-making aligned with purpose. Suppose people give you business advice: “You need M&Ms! You need Oreos! You need celery! You need rice milk!” You go to the store and buy everything. But if your why is to live and promote a healthy lifestyle, only celery and rice milk align.
- The test: If you clearly know your why, your decisions (what to buy, say, do) will be consistent and aligned. When others look at your cart (i.e., your actions), it should be obvious what you stand for. If your why is to live healthily, you would not buy cookies and soda just because someone recommended them. You would stick with things like celery and rice milk.
- This reinforces that a clearly defined why helps filter decisions, maintain authenticity, and attract the right people.
Companies That Struggled After Losing Their Why:
Towards the end of the book, Sinek describes examples of once-successful companies that faltered when they lost sight of their original purpose:
- Walmart: Originally driven by founder Sam Walton’s why, to serve people and communities by offering affordable products, Walmart thrived. But after his death, the focus shifted to maximizing profits at all costs, eroding employee trust and damaging public perception. They prioritized what (low prices) over why (serving people), leading to a loss of the emotional connection they once had.
- Starbucks: Under Howard Schultz’s leadership, Starbucks focused on creating a “third place” between work and home. Their why was about building human connection and a consistent, welcoming experience. When Schultz stepped down and the company shifted focus to aggressive expansion and automation, the quality of the customer experience declined. By focusing too much on operational efficiency and rapid growth, they lost touch with their original purpose. Schultz eventually returned to help restore that sense of why and refocus on the customer experience.
These examples show that losing your why can lead to short-term thinking, declining morale, and loss of customer trust. It’s similar to what Cory Doctorow would call “enshittification.”
Conclusion:
To lead, innovate, or build lasting relationships, start with why. A clear purpose attracts the right people, guides consistent decision-making, and creates loyalty that survives beyond any one product or leader. Losing that clarity can unravel even the most successful organizations.
Personal Notes:
I am not a huge fan of Sinek’s style. While I appreciate his message, I’m a bigger fan of arguments that come with more rigor and data. He leaned on the same limited examples (mostly Apple) throughout the book and the premise feels a bit flimsy and unproven as a result. I say that even though I want to believe it. Before I set out to read it, I was prepared to absorb the information and share the book with those around me. I don’t feel as enthusiastic at the end. I don’t trust that it will do much to convince someone of the importance of why if they don’t already believe it. It’s a popular book and a popular TED talk, so maybe I’m the weirdo that is overly skeptical, but I’m looking for other sources in this department.