All entries for Saturday 23 March 2013

How can leaders inspire action?

During the CBE module, we briefly came across 'the golden circle' that has a core made up of "Why" and then stems out to "How" and then eventually "What". I think that this is a great way to think about anything we do, but in particular, it is a great way for leaders to inspire action. Apple is a popular example that highlights the power of thinking in such a way. They start with the why aspect i.e. why are we here (e.g. because we believe in challenging the status quo). This helps in getting people to buy in to your core values and vision.

Similarly, as a leader, we should focus on the "why" first and foremost. Why are we leading, Why is this important to us? Why should others follow us? Why should our goals be shared by our followers?

If you get this right when leading, your followers will give their blood, sweat and tears in order to achieve the shared goals.. and after all, effective leadership is about influencing the thoughts and activities of group members in achievement of shared goals.

This is something I have experienced first hand. By getting the why bit right, everything else follows naturally. I really believe that as leaders of tomorrow, we should inspire others.. and a great way of doing just that is by conveying your beliefs, i.e. what you stand for. If you are lucky enough to have followers who share your beliefs, then that's all you can really ask for.

For those who are interested in learning more about the golden circle, I would recommend the following TedTalk delivered by Simon Sinek:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qp0HIF3SfI4

Hasan Khan : 23 Mar 2013 01:18 |  Comments (2) |  Close comments |  Report a problem