Start with Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action

by Simon Sinek

Your role in the process is to be crystal clear about what purpose, cause or belief you exist to champion, and to show how your products and services help advance that cause.

Like Wal-Mart, the Endicott entrepreneurs used to think, act and communicate from the inside out of The Golden Circle—from WHY to WHAT. But as they grew more successful, the process reversed. WHAT now comes first and all their systems and processes are in pursuit of those tangible results. The reason the change happened is simple—they suffered a split and their WHY went fuzzy.

Money is a perfectly legitimate measurement of goods sold or services rendered. But it is no calculation of value.

Just because somebody makes a lot of money does not mean that he necessarily provides a lot of value.

Value is a feeling, not a calculation. It is perception. One could argue that a product with more bells and whistles that sells for less is the greater value.

But again, value is a perception, not a calculation, which is the reason companies make such a big deal about investing in their brand. But a strong brand, like all other intangible factors that contribute to the perception of value, starts with a clear sense of WHY.

If those outside the megaphone share your WHY and if you are able to clearly communicate that belief in everything you say and do, trust emerges and value is perceived. When that happens, loyal buyers will always rationalize the premium they pay or the inconvenience they suffer to get that feeling.

They will try to explain that their feeling of value comes from quality or features or some other easy-to-point-to element, but it doesn’t. Those are external factors and the fe...

When people can point to a company and clearly articulate what the company believes and use words unrelated to price, quality, service and features, that is proof the...

When people describe the value they perceive with visceral, excited words like “love,” that is a sure sign th...