INSIGHTS by HDTS

Just last week I shared a YouTube link with Nigel Lewis, founder of Global Logistics Media. Shortly thereafter, I received a response from Nigel;

"You’re onto it… I’ve been a fan for a while now, the first video I ever saw was this one [link], the man is a great communicator…"

You should have seen the smile on my face. Here we are, two industry professionals from opposite sides of the world and now we share a common social framework for life and business. I instantly felt a closer bond with Nigel, and because of our shared belief, I was compelled to begin writing this article for the benefit of our community of readers.

The video I shared with Nigel was a TEDtalk by renowned author, leadership expert, and ethnographer, Simon Sinek. Sinek is a trailblazer for the concept that people make decisions based on trust, which in turn is earned through the sharing of common beliefs.

"If you don’t understand people, you don’t understand business…People don’t buy what you do, they buy why you do it."

The Golden Circle
Sinek calls this concept The Golden Circle, through which he draws a remarkable parallel between the way in which we establish trust and make decisions, and the anatomy of the human brain.

This doesn’t work! 

Traditionally, we sell people on buying our products and working for our companies using the path of red arrows shown in the diagram above. That is, we tell people What we do, How we do it, and finally, Why we do it. 

Sinek uses the traditional selling approach; “We make great computers. They’re beautifully designed, simple to use, and user friendly. Want to buy one?”

This works! 

Exceptional leaders sell to people and organizations who share common beliefs. That is, they sell from the inside out along the path of green arrows shown in the diagram above. They start with Why they do what they do, then explain How they do what they do, and finally, they mention What their products or services are.

Sinek uses Apple as an example; “Everything we do, we believe in challenging the status quo, we believe in thinking differently. The way we challenge the status quo is by making our products beautifully designed, simple to use, and user friendly. We just happen to make great computers. Want to buy one?”

This excerpt captures the essence of Sinek’s Golden Circle:

“The goal is not to do business with everybody who needs what you have, the goal is to do business with people who believe what you believe.

Here’s the best part; none of what I’m telling you is my opinion, it’s all grounded in the tenets of biology. Not psychology, biology.

If you look at a cross section of the human brain, looking from the top down, what you see is the human brain is actually broken into three (3) major components that correlate perfectly with The Golden Circle.

Our newest brain - our neocortex - corresponds with the What level. The neocortex is responsible for all of our rational and analytical thought and language. The middle two sections (How and Why) make up our limbic brains and our limbic brains are responsible for all of our feelings like trust and loyalty. It’s also responsible for all human behavior, all decision making, and it has no capacity for language.

In other words when we communicate from the outside in, yes people can understand vast amounts of complicated information like features and benefits and facts and figures; it just doesn’t drive behavior.

When we communicate from the inside out, we’re talking directly to the part of the brain that controls behavior, and then we allow people to rationalize it with the tangible things we say and do.

This is where gut decisions come from. You know sometimes you can give somebody all the facts and figures, and they say ‘I know all the facts and details say but it just doesn’t feel right.’ Why would we use that verb? ‘It doesn’t feel right.’ Because the part of the brain that controls decision making doesn’t control language. And the best we can muster up is ‘I don’t know, it just doesn’t feel right’. Or sometimes we say ‘you’re leading with your heart’ or ‘you’re leading with your soul.’  Well I hate to break it to you, those aren’t other body parts controlling your behavior, that’s all happening here in your limbic brain…

But if you don’t know why you do what you do, and people respond to why you do what you do, then how will you ever get people to vote for you, buy something from you, or more importantly; be loyal?

Again, the goal is not to sell to people who need what you have, the goal is to sell to people who believe what you believe. The goal is not just to hire people who need a job, it’s hire people who believe what you believe. I always say that if you hire people just because they can do a job, they’ll work for your money. But if you hire people who believe in what you believe, they’ll work for you with blood and sweat and tears.”

I hope Simon Sinek’s transformative insight will serve you and your organization well. My best wishes for a successful 2013 as you “Start With Why” to enchant prospective customers and colleagues.

I’ll leave you with a final question; Why do you do what you do?

- Daniel Sperling-Horowitz, coFounder

P.S. Check out the videos below.