One of the most popular talks ever at TED is Simon Sinek’s 2009 talk, How great leaders inspire action. In it, he demonstrates the simple formula that distinguishes how the likes of Apple and Martin Luther King, Jr are able to ignite inspiration where others simply send signals. By now, all of us know that Apple inspires us to Think Differently, and Martin Luther King, Jr challenged us to dream, but how they did it is where the magic lies. The formula that Sinek stumbled upon is as simple as it is profound, and is anchored in the belief that ‘people don’t buy what you do, they buy why you do it.”
I’m more convinced than ever that Sinek has nailed one of the more important principles in business, but what’s been most impressive has been watching the evolution of his personal brand. Stop for a moment and consider how you’ve positioned yourself or your business – are you starting with ‘what’ or ‘why’; but before you do, listen to my conversation with position expert, Mark Levy, who was the collaborator with Simon on his “why” mantra –