TED Tuesday: Simon Sinek's ‘Start With Why.’

"Why do some companies achieve things that completely exceed our expectations, defying all our assumptions for what's possible?'

Good Morning Folks,

I’m a big fan on Simon Sinek and it seems like you agree. When we presented his talk "How Great Leaders Inspire Action" on an earlier TED Tuesday, your reaction was overwhelming.  "How Great Leaders Inspire Action" is an amazing, inspiring and thought provoking talk from TEDxPugetSound.

Today's TEDTalk is a shorter variation on that theme.

You may have also seen my presentations based on Simon's ‘golden circle of human emotion,’ which explains the greatest motivation behind why people buy.

Simply put, he proves that people don’t buy what you do, they buy why you do it.

Why do some companies achieve things that completely exceed our expectations, defying all our assumptions for what's possible?  Apple starts with "why" when defining their company, they are able to attract customers who share their fundamental beliefs. As Sinek puts it, "People don't buy what you do. They buy why you do it." Starting with "why" makes Apple, for example, more than just a computer company selling features, and that's why their products have flourished while their competitors' products with similar technology and capabilities have often flopped.

As a consultant and author, his books and presentations have provided inspiration to major organizations, corporations, non-profits, and businesses like ours to reshape our thinking, and by doing so, make us more responsive to the needs of our teams and our customers, and grow ourselves by the very process.

So now, here’s a treat for you: Sinek’s TED talk, ‘Start With Why.’

It occurred to me, that while many of you may be familiar with his TED Talks, you my be less familiar with his books: “Start With Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action”, and “Leaders Eat Last: Why Some Teams Pull Together and Others Don’t.” Find them at Amazon.com.

I think the concept of starting with why hits the nail on the head regarding the trust economy. Most businesses have very comparable competitors, and it's trust and loyalty that will differentiate them in the markets through customer retention, word-of-mouth and the ZMOT. Starting with why allows businesses to go beyond what they're selling and connect on an emotional level that's much more moving that a few key features. Don't tell the world how you're going to change it, show the world.

At FSO, our strategy team also starts with the why and never loses its childlike curiosity to keep asking questions all with the goal on enabling our customers to find better ways, more options, more efficient resources and talent to enable what was not possible before.

Perhaps that's why we are the fastest growing company in outsourcing and have been so distinguished with inclusion on the Inc. 5000 list of the fastest-growing private companies in America for the past three consecutive years. Only a tiny fraction of the nation's companies have demonstrated such remarkably consistent high growth, particularly in the difficult economic environment of the past few years. This achievement truly puts you in rarefied company.

Have a GREAT Day,



Mitchell D. Weiner
Chief Happiness Officer  

Ideas are not set in stone. When exposed to thoughtful people, they morph and adapt into their most potent form. TED Tuesdays on MitchWeiner.com highlights some of today's most intriguing ideas. Look for more talks on Technology, Entertainment and Design -- plus science, business, global issues, the arts and much more— HERE.  

About FSO Onsite Outsourcing
Recognized on the Inc. 5000 list of the nation's fastest growing companies for the third consecutive year, and lead by industry pioneer, Mitch Weiner, FSO's growth and success can be attributed to making a positive and powerful impact on their clients' bottom lines, as well as their employees' careers and lives.