During some recent travelling, I used it as an opportunity to re-read (power read, you might say) fellow author and Speakers Spotlight brother Simon Sinek's book "Start With Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Others To Take Action".
The fact it was first published in 2009 still gives me goose bumps. Simon was -- and continues to be -- ahead of his time. If you haven't done so already, watch his TEDxPuget Sound Talk to get a condensed 18-minute version of his fantastic hypothesis and theory centered (literally) on The Golden Circle.
But you really should buy the book. (support those authors - we need new ribbons for the typewriter)
Aside from a man-crush on Simon and being highly influenced by his book, I was struck by the simplicity in his overarching point:
In my personal situation, the WHAT is clearly the Flat Army book -- and the other pieces that are going along with it now or in the future -- but the WHY is something I care deeply about. I hope you do too. I hope the WHY is why you might have bought the book in the first place, wanted to hear me speak, or continue showing up at this site. I hope the WHY is why we might share a café, beer or an exchange on social media. WHY art thou? The WHY of Flat Army is simple ... I'm fed up with the current state of leadership. I'm fed up with current levels of disengagement in the organization. I'm fed up with pervasive levels of command and control in the organization. I'm fed up that although zillions of books have been written about 'leadership' over the past 30 years we have witnessed no discernible difference or improvement in employee engagement. I'm fed up that leaders have not truly recognized that an engaged employee will and can result in improved levels of productivity, customer satisfaction and yes ... business results such as revenue or profit or shareholder return growth. Put slightly more succinctly and with less ranting venom, the WHY of Flat Army is:"People don’t buy WHAT you do, they buy WHY you do it."
to improve levels of organizational and employee engagement and to make leaders and the organization more collaborative such that work gets done in a more harmonious, meaningful and productive manner for everyone.
My WHY is my passion for people. Whether employees, leaders or anyone in between, I believe the organization needs to become a mecca of togetherness.
My WHY is my wish for employee engagement to actually become the state in which there is reciprocal trust between the employee and leadership to do what's right however, whenever and with whomever.
I wrote Flat Army inspired by the WHY that Simon puts forward in his ground-breaking book.
Now you know WHY ... WHAT are you going to do to change employee engagement in your organization and/or leadership style?
