Start With Why

The book, Start With Why, by Simon Sinek is an interesting concept for entrepreneurs and small business owners to consider. While we believe entrepreneurs can be small business owners, startup owners, and anything in between, Sinek’s approach of Start With Whygives us some insight into leaders around the world as well as an understanding of how to connect and engage leaders and their followers in a much more meaningful way.

The idea of starting with “why?” comes from the concept of the Golden Circle: What, How and Why. Why is placed in the center. Most people start by describing what they do, occasionally telling you how they do it, and rarely telling you why they do it. The concept here is to start with why first — why you do what you do, then a bit about how you do it, and then maybe tell them what is it you really do.

You don’t need to write a book for me to understand what you do, but the idea is to simplify your message to start with why, go to the how, and then the what.

Sinek has used many examples through his TED talks and books to explain the concept. What we’ve learned is that the entrepreneurs that understand that and successfully complete their message by starting with why, moving to how, and closing with the what, grow at a much faster speed than the ones who start with what, then how, and maybe the why.

It can be hard to open up your heart and soul and be vulnerable, sharing your story or sharing your journey. Many garner great appreciation from the outside world when they do. While I admire that work and the stories I also acknowledge the hardship that entrepreneurs face in sharing their insights of their journey. Many times you have to expose wounds and scars that accumulated through that journey.

We want you to at least think through what would you do if you shared your journey and what could happen if your journey was shared with more people.

BEFORE YOU GO

We see our blogs as opportunities for dialogue. Please share your thoughts as comments.

1. What have you done to engage your followers in a meaningful way?

2. What other tools have you used besides the WHY to engage your followers?

3. What recommendations do you have for leaders around the world?

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Faris Alami is Founder and CEO of International Strategic Management, Inc. (ISM). He works internationally, presenting Exploring Entrepreneurship Workshops and other entrepreneurial ecosystem — related ventures.