Finding your Why.

 

The key to success.

Anyone who has been on our Bootcamp or workshop will know all the facilitators are fans of the Simon Sinek thinking about Why the organisation exists – rather than the technicalities of how the organisation functions and what it does.

 

It is a challenging idea which requires people to think beyond the basic business model.

 

Finding your Why can be a critical factor in differentiating your product and/or service but it requires a different way of thinking. Just developing this way of thinking can transform your approach and your business.

 

Finding your Why is important for all start-ups but is also important for existing businesses as they grow and evolve.

 

It’s important to understand what underpins your Why. Sinek argues this should not be purely to make profit. This might be an objective but it is a result that flows from how well you do the fundamentals in your business.

So how do you find your Why?

 

It comes from deep inside you and might be buried under layers of padding that has built up over many years and can be impacted by your background and upbringing, education at all levels, life and work experience (good and bad), the things that make you happy and sad. This list goes on and it’s very personal.

 

You might start like this:

 

Reflect on your life so far. This is not a CV but a reflection on:

 

  • What you love doing
  • What inspires you
  • What you hate
  • The things that have brought you real joy
  • The things that have made you cry – from happiness or sadness
  • Who do you admire and why?
  • What did you really enjoy at school, college/university?
  • What did you hate at school, college/university?
  • What hobbies have you enjoyed (or otherwise)
  • What jobs (including volunteering) have you done – good and bad?
  • What qualifications have you achieved and which ones have given you the most satisfaction and pride?
Take time to do this. You will start to remember things that were forgotten but are important components in “who you are” and what really drives you and can lead to a powerful Why.

 

Some people advocate being able to articulate your Why. This may be good but sometimes it can be too personal – but it can be the internal driver that builds your business model, your branding, your marketing, in fact every element of your business.

Let’s take a very simplistic example:

 

Let’s assume your WHY is to make as much profit as possible. What’s your story with a potential customer?

 

I’ve got this great idea that makes lots of profit.
How do we achieve this?
  • We employ the cheapest labour and make them work long hours with minimum benefits
  • We source the cheapest materials and pay our suppliers as late as possible to maintain supplies
  • Our customer service is designed to give as little service as possible and no refunds or warranty claims
  • The promises to our customers are vague and almost impossible to enforce
  • Our mission is to maximise shareholder value
What does this look like? Is it sustainable? Perhaps you can think of some businesses actually use this approach.

 

What if we see the profit as a result that flows from a Why which wants to change people’s lives for the better regardless of background?

 

We could start by reversing each of these items?

What story would you be able to tell?

 

  • We have a great team that share the passion for the business and providing great service to all our customers
  • All our suppliers are extensively checked out to ensure they meet our high standards and share our vision which minimises supply chain disruption at all levels.
  • Our suppliers also work with us on continuous improvement to maximise the customer experience and customer satisfaction.
  • All of this is reflected in our no quibble approach to customer service regardless of where the fault lies – if we sell it we stand behind it.
  • The result is that our employee and customer retention is high and this is reflected in sales and profit growth in a sustainable way.
  • Our shareholders and all stakeholders understand this and are committed to our vision and long term goals which reinforces the core values listed above.

Which version do you like best?