The Golden Circle: Simon Sinek’s Start with Why

Each first day of class, I share Simon Sinek’s TEDxPugetSound talk with students as a starting point for a discussion of what it actually takes to persuade, convince, or resonate with an audience.

In his talk and his book Start With Why, Sinek proposes that great leaders–Martin Luther King, Steve Jobs, the Wright Brothers–all communicate with a purpose, they communicate (think and act) from the inside out. Most of us, Sinek believes, communicate from the outside in. It is a clear sense of why–a mission, a purpose, a calling, a big idea–that allows great leaders to gain followers, to inspire others to take on their ideas and act on them. In preparation for my first day of class in two weeks, I’ve prepared a brief introduction to Sinek’s The Golden Circle.

Do you Start with Why? What is the Why that drives your decisions?

Leadership Principles by Christin Upshaw

I am busy grading self-reflective introductory speeches and working out my course structure for October (by re-reading Nancy Duarte’s Resonate), but I’d like to share a deck of the day with you. Today’s deck comes from Christin Upshaw, friend, colleague, and superteacher, who taught an amazing course on leadership and organizational behavior during her time at Full Sail. Her students often commented on what an amazing class it was, and we quickly became superteacher comrades joining forces to ensure presentation awesomeness. Christin moved on to a leadership position as Vice President of New Business & Product Development at Integrated Loyalty Systems in Austin, Tx, where she works to bring awesomeness not only to her organization but to her community. Check out her slideshare.net presentation titled “Leadership Principles.” Christin’s use of type has always inspired me–she makes it so engaging and immersive! Notice how many of these principles are also those that great communicators should follow.

Five leadership lessons from James Tiberius Kirk

Two of my very good friends, Alex Rister, and Christin Upshaw, shared this article with me today. Alex Knapp is officially my new favorite person, and the only proper homage I can pay him (apart from making an amazing batch of salted caramel Nutella brownies in his honor, is to visualize the five lessons paired with my five favorite take aways from this article on my second favorite starship captain, James T. Kirk (yes, I love Picard more. I can’t help it. It’s generational.).

Never Stop Learning

Despite Kirk’s bravado attitude, he, like my favorite men in Starfleet, is knowledgeable, worldly, and wise. One reason I love Star Trek so much is that the show isn’t about violent imperialism. It’s about exploration, the expansion of knowledge, the use of logic, emotion, and empathy to solve a problem. It’s the nerd’s soap opera. Great leaders never stop learning. They seek out knowledge and experience as a means to better their organizations, themselves, their world.

Have Advisors with Different Worldviews

This is probably what I love the most about Star Trek: The Original Series–the interplay between Kirk, his first officer, and his chief medical officer. The three of them make an amazing team, and the writers of Star Trek work to develop an intricate relationship, interplay, and dynamic. Shatner, Nimoy, and Kelley work together as a seamless team. Kirk’s passion is tempered by Spock’s steely knowledge and Bones’ ethical barometer. Great leaders consider the perspectives of others. They seek out alternate views and perspectives before making decisions.

Be Part of the Away Team

A captain in Starfleet traditionally lets his first officer handle dangerous away missions. Kirk flies in the face of this convention. The only way to lead is by example–the only way to truly be a captain of the Enterprise is to understand that risk is an everyday part of the job.

Play Poker, Not Chess

Like Knapp, I love it when Kirk outwits his opponents through the use of an approach that is more poker than chess. Poker is all about psychology, something Knapp sees as valuable in business: “Playing that strategy with an eye to the psychology of our competitors, not just the rules and circumstances of the game can often lead to better outcomes than following the rigid lines of chess.”

Blow Up the Enterprise

Sometimes, leaders have to make tough decisions about what works and what doesn’t. Great leaders cannot be afraid to start anew, to throw out their reservations and go down a scary and uncertain road. Think of the great leaders of the world–each of them had to Blow Up the Enterprise and face loss in order to succeed.

We need to keep exploring and learning. We need to ensure that we encourage creativity and innovation by listening to the advice of people with vastly different opinions. We need to occasionally get down in the trenches with the members of our teams so we understand their needs and earn their trust and loyalty. We need to understand the psychology of our competitors and also learn to radically change course when circumstances dictate. –Alex Knapp, Forbes