There is one undesirous question that seems to follow us around. It creeps into social conversation and even workplace formalities - “what is your purpose?”. This concept of purpose is a deeper question than humans usually like to go, especially at work. This book by Simon Sinek and his team, David Mead and Peter Docker, bring readers back to the common denominator - that we are all humans with purpose. Understanding your purpose, or WHY, is the ammunition needed to spark productivity in the workplace. Humans are not programmed to follow monotonous systems, and “Find Your Why” offers a framework of key ideas that allows businesses to understand and encourage the exploration of individual WHY. Before reading this piece, it is worth noting that “Find Your Why” comes as a sequel to Sinek’s book “Start With Why” which delves deeper into the concepts of purpose. “Find Your Why” looks more specifically at the steps towards finding purpose. The Golden Circle The concept of WHY stems from the simple Golden Circle structure, developed by Sinek. • WHY do you do what you do?• HOW do you do what you do?• WHAT do you do? This structure connects purpose to the biological responses in the brain. It visually represents the pattern of human decision making and Sinek encourages employers to implement this method into recruitment processes and beyond, to ensure employees fit the business puzzle. The Golden Circle structure forms the foundation of key ideas explored in “Find Your Why”, so rather than dipping into the seven complex chapters, here are four key ideas that are notably impressive. Key Idea 1: Discover Your Individual WHY with Partnerships Before introducing WHY exploration to the workplace, it is important that employees are confident in their individual purpose. A smart first step is to introduce an outside perspective. Sinek notes that individuals believe they can successfully analyse their own stories, but this is untrue. Find a partner who pushes you to unlock memories and go deeper into your thoughts. Recruit a good listener who is perceptive and engaged. Having that external resource listen to your stories will help you uncover common themes about your WHY that you may not have realised. Key Idea 2: State Your WHATs and HOWs Referring back to the Golden Circle structure, Sinek encourages individuals to take the themes from their partnership activity and formulate a WHY Statement. This statement should be clear, actionable and identify the impact it will have on others. Once it is complete, Sinek suggests creating a list of WHATs and HOWs. HOWs are your strengths that are actioned to fulfill your WHY, and WHATs are the tangible services as a result of your WHY. Once you have this list, it becomes clear how your individual purpose can contribute to the overarching WHY of a workplace. Key Idea 3: Share Your WHY An uncomfortable next step is to start sharing your WHY with the world. Remember, you have the HOWs and WHATs to back up your statement, so have confidence in your delivery. Sinek recommends sharing your WHY in a social setting before introducing it to the workplace. This will help you become familiar with how people react. Sharing your WHY with coworkers is beneficial because it allows employers to assign tasks that are aligned to you, your strengths and your purpose. When it comes to business, a WHY Statement would usually be referred to as a Mission Statement. It is just as important for businesses to develop an overall WHY statement, to ensure employees are aligned with the HOWs and WHATs of that organisation. Key Idea 4: How WHYs Improve Teamwork Knowing individual WHYs within the workplace is an incredible business advantage. WHYs in the workplace serve as building blocks to achieve a strong and balanced structure, which ultimately results in business success. A great example is given by the two co-authors, David Mead and Peter Docker, who reflect on their partnership during a work project. By identifying each other’s HOWs, the pair played to their strengths and were able to develop a successful event for their client. When HOWs and WHYs are openly communicated, it allows you and your coworkers to confidently approach challenges in a way that is effective and methodical. Conclusion Each person has an individual WHY that dictates their personal and professional life. “Find Your Why” offers exclusive methods to navigate this journey and clearly outlines the importance of finding your individual WHY. Having confidence in your WHY propels you towards successes that inspire others to truly know their strengths and play to them. A well-structured and insightful piece of material that is changing workplaces and lives across the globe. Watch Video Watch Video Close Close 33 Book Review – Find Your Why