ABOUT Simon Sinek

Simon Sinek
Simon Sinek teaches leaders and companies how to inspire people. From members of Congress to foreign ambassadors, from small businesses to corporations like Microsoft and American Express, from Hollywood to the UN to the Pentagon, those who want to know how to inspire people want to lea More...

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Why are some people and organizations more innovative, more influential, and more profitable than others? Why do some command greater loyalty from customers and employees alike? Even among the successful, why are so few able to repeat their successes over and over?


People like Martin Luther King Jr., Steve Jobs, and the Wright Brothers might have little in common, but they all started with why. Their natural ability to start with why enabled them to inspire those around them and to achieve remarkable things.

In studying the leaders who’ve had the greatest influence in the world, Simon Sinek discovered that they all think, act, and communicate in the exact same way—and it’s the complete opposite of what everyone else does. Sinek calls this powerful idea The Golden Circle, and it provides a framework upon which organizations can be built, movements can be led, and people can be inspired. And it all starts with WHY. Any organization can explain what it does; some can explain how they do it; but very few can clearly articulate why. WHY is not money or profit—those are always results. Why does your organization exist? Why does it do the things it does? Why do customers really buy from one company or another? Why are people loyal to some leaders, but not others?

Starting with WHY works in big business and small business, in the nonprofit world and in politics. Those who start with WHY never manipulate, they inspire. And people follow them not because they have to; they follow because they want to.

Drawing on a wide range of real-life stories, Sinek weaves together a clear vision of what it truly takes to lead and inspire. This book is for anyone who wants to inspire others or who wants to find someone to inspire them.

Why I wrote Start With Why: I am an optimist. I believe that if everyone woke up and only did the things that inspire them, what an amazing world we’d live in. If we look at the companies, civil leaders and organizations who truly lead, we can find vast numbers of people who stand with them, inspired by something bigger than themselves. Those who love their Apple computers, for example, are proud to be a part of Apple’s revolution. Those who tattoo a Harley-Davidson logo on their bodies are proud to be a part of Harley’s cause. Great leaders, be they individuals or organizations, inspire us to be a part of something larger than ourselves. But what does it take to be a great leader? What does it take to inspire? As it turns out, even though some may have a natural gift for it, the ability to inspire can be learned. The discovery: Looking at the leaders and organizations that have an unbalanced amount of influence in the world – the most loyal customers, the most loyal employees, the most profitable, the most innovative and, most importantly, able to sustain all those things for the long term – I discovered that they all think, act and communicate the exact same way…and it’s the complete opposite of everyone else. All I did was codify it. And I call it the Golden Circle. The book, Start With Why, shares this naturally occurring pattern in a way that is actionable. Others can learn how to be as innovative as Apple. Others can learn to generate loyalty like Harley-Davidson. And others can learn to rally thousands of people like Martin Luther King.

Start with Why is one of the most useful and powerful books I have read in years. Simple and elegant, it shows us how leaders should lead. Highly recommended!” —William Ury, coauthor of Getting to Yes; cofounder ofThe Program on Negotiation at Harvard Law School


Start with Why fanned the flames inside me. It translates what we used in the military into terms any organization can apply; the principles are the same. This book can lead you to levels of excellence you never considered attainable.” —General Chuck Horner, air boss, Desert Storm


Start with Why will cause you to rethink your business. It is a great read and exactly on target. This book will inspire you.”—Howard Putnam, former CEO, Southwest Airlines;speaker and author of The Winds of Turbulence


Start with Why is a powerful and penetrating exploration of what separates great companies and great leaders from the rest. Too many leaders (and authors) go looking for authenticity in all the wrong places—Sinek takes you directly to the source.”—Polly LaBarre, coauthor of Mavericks at Work


Start with Why offers a simple and pragmatic approach to great leadership. Each story will force you to see things from an entirely different perspective. A perspective that is nothing short of the truth.”—Mokhtar Lamani, former ambassador, special envoyto Iraq and ambassador, permanent observer to the UN