Start with Why : How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to take Action!

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

(Please do note that the above is an advertised link to buy the book on Amazon, for those who are interested)

Summary:

After reading this book, one cannot help but relate to ‘2000 percent solution’ in the context of business environment and continuance. Given the importance of WHY, it is often communicated now but either wrongly or seemed to lose through the filtering process of different generations of employees and customers even if they have done so successfully in the first generation of it.

Cultivating the ‘why’ for the up and coming is the real challenge. One can always be clear what they want, focus on what they want in writing. The persistent and relentless pursuit of the ‘why’ to ensure it is communicated to all internal and external stakeholders, is often not just the challenge, it is how to ensure it continues for generations after that, that is of importance. I believe that is what Warren Buffett, Charlie Munger and possibly Li Ka Shing would termed as a GROWTH orientated company. 

To justify a long term investment in a company, the system must be in place so that this Soft ‘WHY’ will be perpetually repeated. I would coin this as Hard Systems and Soft Systems…. and this soft systems is the WHY, measurement is often hard to keep track but you can see and feel it. You get the gut feel and feels passionate of being part of it.

Book’s Essence:

Essence of this book can be captured in the first few chapters. After the fourth and from the fifth onwards, it starts to be a bit draggy.

• Great leaders’ difference lies in the ability to INSPIRE people to ACT. Those who are able to inspire give people a sense of purpose or belonging that has little to do with external incentive or benefit to be gained. (Page 6)
• Its goal is not to give you a course of action. Its goal is to offer you the ‘Cause’ of action. (Page 7)
• The golden circle of 3 circles with ‘why’ being the nucleus, ‘how’ being the second layer and ‘what’ being the exterior circle. See picture attached below
• Everything you say and everything you do has to prove what you believe. A WHY is a belief. And WHATs are the results of those actions – everything you say and do: your products, services, marketing, PR, culture and whom you hire. (Page 67) And may I add and who you fire and how you appraise, incentive and motivate your employees. As we are natural creatures and human beings, and we work for a salary. And the reward whether monetary or not must not be overlooked.

Pros:

1. There are vastly more Pros than Cons on this book, as it tries to explain something simple yet very important and most of the time will be overlooked. 
2. Historically speaking, it tells the story why once famous and leading brands had fallen behind. 
3. It uses Primarily Apple as an example which is easy to remember.
4. It also tells the story of planned succession and it all has to do with ‘WHY’, which is one of the key things prople should take away. 
5. Easy to understand examples and the last few chapters is focused on drilling in the importance and concept of the WHY, much like a final punch.

Cons:

1. It does mentions reference to Apple very often in the first few chapters of the book, though useful, did not quite demonstrate the impact of the ‘Why?’ and the length of this ‘Why?’ Process.
2. But fail to include Samsung as a contrast to the iphones as a comparison as the first in mind brand comparison. Instead Samsung was used to describe a different example in terms of manipulations in promotions to garner more sales.
3. Could have used more corporate and some light hearted approach in some chapters with more examples to illustrate the importance of WHY? 

Conclusion and Key Takeaway:

1. Why? … This question is ultimately the representation of ‘honesty and integrity’ and the essence behind the brand and the business, the product and services.
2. Some founders will Champion them and able to pass the ‘Why’ along, with the right system and megaphone in place.
3. Some founders lost it, especially when put in the position of power and money they subsequently traded them off….more commonly known as ‘sell out’. Because with power, authority and greed, they lose sight of whats going on at the ground/ market. As they say, you want to corrupt someone, give them power.
4. To understand the difference between Energy and Charisma, as well as the respective outputs of being motivated and being inspired. 
5. With ENERGY –> you motivate the crowd, the team, the stakeholders either internal or external, often the effect is short term. When you feel motivated you do things. 
6. But With CHARISMA –> you INSPIRE the people, and that inspiring can be infectious, you don’t just do something, you want to tell people you have done something, why you ‘do’ that something, … You just wanna share the WHY. And that is the result of a chain effect ‘megaphone’.
7. A successful ‘WHY’ is like a cult, one where there will be a die-hard following, except it is not just in the inside, but also the outside. One that makes you want to be a part of, where it became a common habit or shared passion or shared guilty pleasure. 

Last but not least, I am going to leave you by not citing all that I have read but just the essence, so you too can read, relate, experience and use the knowledge gained pragmatically towards your passion, career and what you represent successfullyand meaningfully.

Note:

i)  There are affiliated book links and banners associated on this site. If you find the review useful and wanted to buy the book to read. Please click on the link to purchase via the links to recognise effort.

ii) Last not least, if you using this review for any purpose please kindly credit me as the author for this review.