Leadership Strategy - The Power of WHY
Friday, June 7, 2013 at 3:20PM | Lois Carson Hunter Are you looking for a way to inspire yourself and others? Whether you’re leading yourself, a team or a whole company, being able to inspire and motivate is a key to success.
Recently, I heard someone give a talk on High-Impact Goals as a tool for creating meaningful success. A key point she made was that to be successful, you need to be clear on the WHY of your vision and your goals. This is where your passion comes in. WHY is what you want to do important – to you, to your company, to society? What is your driving purpose, your cause, your belief? What gives you passion? WHY do you get out of bed every morning? WHY does your company exist? Put passion in your actions with WHY.
Starting with WHY inspires rather than manipulates. Great leaders are able to inspire people to act. Giving them a sense of purpose makes others want to follow willingly. Pulling together a team of like minded people and giving them a cause to pursue ensures a greater sense of teamwork and camaraderie. People are more likely to work hard when they trust their boss has their best interest and feel like they’re working for something bigger than themselves.
Simon Sinek’s book, Start with Why – How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action, is a great resource to understanding the role WHY plays in being influential and successful in all sizes and types of businesses. It can also apply to your personal life. You can get a good overview by checking out his TED Talk.
Figuring out your WHY can be challenging for some. Sinek’s book has some great examples that will help you understand this concept and where the HOW and WHAT fit into the picture. Once you have your WHY, you need to know HOW to do WHAT. A good balance is important. Understanding your WHY is also important in creating your brand and marketing.
Discover and use your WHY. It’s a powerful tool for inspiring and leading your team.
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