Start With Why
To build trust with your followers and customers, you need authenticity. What does that mean in practice? It means that your HOW (actions) and WHAT (results) have to be consistent with your WHY (beliefs). They all need to work together in harmony. People can detect inconsistencies, and when they do, you are perceived as inauthentic and you erode trust.
The principle of “Start with Why” can have powerful benefits in everything you do. In a sales discussion with a new customer, you can start with WHY to help customers self-select as to whether they believe in your cause. If they do, they will buy into WHY you do it rather than WHAT you do, which can set the stage for them to become a loyal customer. As a result, they will be willing to pay a premium, put up with the occasional hiccup, and be resistant to the manipulations of your competitors.
You can also use “Start with Why” as your compass for decision-making. When pursuing anything new and innovative, there are so many unknowns. Despite that, there are plenty of people who will tell you what to do, sometimes with a smug over-confidence.
Entrepreneurs need to be able to focus. If you start with WHY, you know your purpose. You can only do those few, important things that are consistent with your purpose. And you can say “no” to the many feature ideas that you hear for your customers, employees, and advisers that are inconsistent with your WHY.
“People don’t buy WHAT you do; they buy WHY you do it.” ~ Simon Sinek. The most effective leaders always win the heart first, and then the mind. The only chance you have to win the heart if you start with WHY.
