The Coachio Group executive team had the fantastic opportunity to witness first-hand the brilliance of Simon Sinek when we attended the Growth Faculty event in Auckland last month.
We have been avid followers of Simon for several years and having read his books, several times I might add, as an organisation we have chosen to incorporate many of his concepts into our own thinking. These aren’t just theories, they really work. In our view, having a focus on the people who produce the results is fundamental to the success of all organisations.
More than ever before, organisations must be able to understand and then articulate their ‘why’ to their potential clients, or they cannot expect to survive very long. It takes leadership to ensure that an organisations ‘why’ is clearly defined and communicated widely. Ironically, without a ‘why’ leaders cannot lead, as they do not have anywhere to take the organisation. Problems arise if you do not have a destination in mind, as any road will get you there. Your ‘why’ should be the destination, and everything should hang off this, from strategic plans to performance measurement, to how people communicate with each other and problem solve together.
Times are changing and we are starting to see the leadership style of the 80’s and 90’s slip away, you know the one’s still stuck there, they stymie development and initiative, and beat their own chest when taking credit for the work their people do. Thankfully, those guys are on their way out, to be replaced by ‘people focused’ leaders, those who understand that business is all about people, and know that they cannot survive without them. In an ultra-competitive globalised world, organisations must invest in those who do the doing; those who meet the needs of customers; and those who, if allowed and encouraged, will come up with the next iteration of the widget you sell.
I recommend, if you haven’t already done so, reading Simon Sinek’s books, ‘Start With Why’ and ‘Leaders Eat Last’. I would also consider joining his daily Notes to Inspire and following him on social media. This stuff is not rocket science, but it can make a massive difference to your organisational culture and performance.
Check out Simon’s website at startwithwhy.com.