“People don't buy what you do; they buy why you do it. 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.”
Simon Sinek drives this point home in his TED talk. When you can articulate your WHY, you attract those who believe what you believe and can consistently over time do business with people who believe what you believe.
Moving from 2D to 3D
Your WHY, WHAT and HOW is brought to life by moving from 2D to 3D. In this way, the Golden Circle becomes the basis for structuring your organization. In 3D, the circle becomes a cone, which Sinek sees as a megaphone. It’s a great metaphor for communicating your WHY to the world.
Here’s a diagram of this metaphor:
- At the top of the megaphone is the WHY, articulated by the leader. The responsibility of the leader is holding the WHY/the vision and sharing it relentlessly with the rest of the organization.
- The next level of the megaphone is HOW, those inspired by the WHY, who deeply believe in it. They use their gifts and strengths to bring the WHY to life.
- The bottom of the megaphone is the WHAT, the things the company says and does to breathe life into the WHY. It’s the products and services that make WHY tangible.
Communicate a Consistent WHY to the World
All three levels of the megaphone clearly communicate a consistent WHY to the world. You have the Clarity of WHY, the Discipline of HOW and the Consistency of WHAT working in balance and in the right order.
Spreading Your WHY Loud and CLEAR
Through this system, the message is spread loud and CLEAR. Everyone who believes what you believe is drawn to your products and services. They connect with your WHY and value the products and services you produce.
Clarity of your message allows everyone who interacts with organization to become a champion of your cause. The message starts at the top with the company’s WHY and moves throughout the company. It inspires everyone involved; team members, customers, and vendors to become raving fans. In turn, they share the message.
The Megaphone in Action
A great example of this in action is Weather Tech, a car accessories brand manufactured by MacNeil Automotive Products Limited, located in Illinois. This company and their WHY stand out to me because they clearly communicate it consistently in their advertising.
They believe strongly in manufacturing their products here in America and state that in every one of their radio ads. Their website, their advertising, and their company logo all reflect the WHY of their company “American Manufacturing Done Right”.
While I have no affiliation with this company, they must do something right – they supply original parts to Mercedes Benz, a German luxury car company known for extremely high quality. When everything you say and do echoes what you believe, you end up with a message that’s loud and CLEAR. That loud and CLEAR message keeps you focused on your WHY and the difference it makes in the world.
How is your WHY communicated to the world?
