'Why' and How to Find it (2)

"'Bad guys always view themselves as the good guys. But sometimes, the good guys are the bad guys. And sometimes, bad guys make the best good guys. Sometimes, good guys gotta do bad things to make the bad guys pay. Sometimes, the end does justify the means, but in my part, THE GREATEST GOOD GUY MAKES EVERYONE SMARTER. He or she, INSPIRES people,' the Philosopher went ahead. 'There are a few leaders who choose to inspire rather than manipulate in order to motivate people. Whether individuals or organizations, every single one of these inspiring leaders thinks, acts and communicates exactly the same way. And it's the complete opposite of the rest of us. Consciously or not, how they do it is by following a naturally occurring pattern.

Everyone has a role model, someone who pointed the way at a critical moment in their lives. Dr. Carol S. Dweck wrote, ' ... the view you adopt for yourself profoundly affects the way you lead your life. It can determine whether you become the person you want to be and whether you accomplish the things you value.' In short, it's all about mindset. Professor Paul Samuelson, a pioneer of Modern Economics, gives an example of a mindset facing the problems of economic organization, 'Every human society—whether it is an advanced industrial nation, a centrally planned economy, or an isolated tribal nation—must confront and resolve three fundamentals. economic problems. Every society must have a way of determining what commodities are produced, how these goods are made, and for whom they are produced. Indeed, these three fundamental questions of economic organization—what, how, and for whom—are as crucial today as they were at the dawn of human civilization. ...'

Simon Sinek proposed a mindset concept, 'The Golden Circle.' According to Sinek, the concept of The Golden Circle was inspired by the golden ratio—a simple mathematical relationship that has fascinated mathematicians, biologists, architects, artists, musicians and naturists since the beginning of history. From the Egyptians to Pythagoras to Leonardo da Vinci, many have looked to the golden ratio to provide a mathematical formula for proportion and even beauty. It also supports the notion that there is more order in nature than we think, as in the symmetry of leaves and the geometric perfection of snowflakes.

Furthermore, according to Sinek, the Golden Circle provides compelling evidence of how much more we can achieve if we remind ourselves to start everything we do, by first asking, 'Why.' It all starts from the inside out. It all starts with 'Why.'

The outer section of the Golden Circle—the WHAT—corresponds to the outer section of the brain—the neocortex. This is the part of the brain responsible for rational and analytical thought. It helps us understand facts and figures, features and benefits. The neocortex is also responsible for language.

The middle two sections of the Golden Circle—the WHY and HOW—correspond to the middle section of the brain, the limbic system. This is the part of the brain responsible for all our behavior and decision making. It’s also responsible for all our feelings, like trust and loyalty. But unlike the neocortex, the limbic system has no capacity for language. This is where “gut feelings” come from. It’s not our stomach. It’s a feeling we get about a decision we have to make that we struggle to explain.

That separation of powers is the biological reason we sometimes find it difficult to put our feelings into words ('I love you more than words can say'), explain our actions ('The devil made me do it!') or justify our decisions ('I don’t know... it just felt right'). This condition, makes us express our feelings with a parable or metaphor.

So, let's start from 'Why,' then HOW, and then WHAT.

WHY very few people or companies can clearly articulate WHY they do, WHAT they do. When I say WHY, I don't mean to make money that's a result. By WHY I mean what is your purpose, cause or belief? WHY does your company exist? WHY do you get out of bed every morning? And WHY should anyone care?

HOW: Some companies and people know HOW they do WHAT they do. Whether you call them a 'differentiating value proposition,' 'proprietary process' or 'unique selling proposition,' HOWs are often given to explain : how something is different or better. Not as obvious as WHATs, many think these are the differentiating or motivating factors in a decision. It would be false to assume that's all that is required.

WHATevery single company and organization on the planet knows WHAT they do. This is true no matter how big or small, no matter what industry. Everyone is easily able to describe the products or services a company sells or the job function they have within that system. WHATs are easy to identify.

When most organizations or people think, act or communicate they do so from the outside in, from WHAT to WHY. And for good reason—they go from clearest thing to the fuzziest thing. We say WHAT we do, we sometimes say HOW we do it, but we rarely say WHY we do WHAT we do.

Sinek explained that the Golden Circle finds order and predictability in human behavior. Put simply, it helps us understand why we do what we do. The Golden Circle provides compelling evidence of how much more we can achieve if we remind ourselves to start everything we do by first asking why.

The Golden Circle is an alternative perspective to existing assumptions about why some leaders and organizations have achieved such a disproportionate degree of influence. It offers clear insight as to how Apple is able to innovate in so many diverse industries and never lose its ability to do so. It explains why people tattoo Harley-Davidson logos on their bodies. It provides a clearer understanding not just of how Southwest Airlines created the most profitable airline in history, but why the things it did worked. It even gives some clarity as to why we took up John F. Kennedy's challenge to put a man on the moon even after he died. The Golden Circle shows how these leaders were able to inspire action instead of manipulating people to act.

This alternative perspective is not just useful for changing the world; there are practical applications for the ability to inspire, too. It can be used as a guide to vastly improving leadership, corporate culture, hiring, product development, sales, and marketing. It even explains loyalty and how to create enough momentum to turn an idea into a social movement.

Furthermore, for leaders, according to Sinek, with 'Why,' they will gain Trust. We trust the judgment of others. It's part of the fabric of strong cultures. But we don't trust the judgment of just anyone. We are more likely to trust those who share our values and beliefs. When we believe someone has our best interest in mind because it is in their benefit to do so, the whole group benefits. The advancements of societies were based a great deal on the trust between those with a common set of values and beliefs. If you follow your WHY, then others will follow you.

All organizations start with WHY, but only the great ones keep their WHY clear year after year. Those who forget WHY they were founded show up to the race every day to outdo someone else instead of to outdo themselves.

Imagine, if every organization started with WHY. Decisions would be simpler. Loyalties would be greater. Trust would be a common currency. If our leaders were diligent about starting with WHY, optimism would reign and innovation would thrive. No matter the size of the organization, no matter the industry, no matter the product or the service, if we all take some responsibility to start with WHY and inspire others to do the same, then, together, we can change the world.

That's all for tonight, tomorrow night, we're going to talk about the Evolution of Political Thought. And as a closing word, allow me to tell a joke,

In the Wonderland, a man walked into a hotel. 'I'd like a room for tonight,' he told the resepsionist.

'I'm sorry, sir, but we have no vacant rooms,' the resepsionist answered.

'Not even one room?' the man asked.

'No, sir, we're full tonight,' said the resepsionist.

The man thought for a moment. 'Please tell me, if the President of the Wonderland came in and asked for a room, would you give him one?'

'If the President of the Wonderland asked for a room, I would find one for him, and will be available for him, sir!" the resepsionist replied.

'Well, the President is not coming here tonight. So give me the room you'd give him!'

And the meeting was over. By the way, the philosopher whom I mentioned, is not actually a philosopher, he is a Professor and teaches in many leading universities. Then why do I call him a Philosopher? Because he conveys his ideas, from the point of view of the Philosophic Eye.

For a while, Songbird and I will be separated, and tomorrow night, we promised to meet again at the same time and place, Insha Allah. And gently, I heard the songbird, humming,

Mungkinkah tercipta kembali

[Could it be re-created]

Malam nan penuh keindahan

[A night, full of beauty]

Sinar rembulan terasa

[The Moonlight felt

Oh hangat menyentuh tubuh

[Oh it's so warm touch the body]

Di antara pelukan

[In between hugs]

Kau dengar, laguku

[You hear my song]

Dalam simfoni

[In a symphony]

Tiada lagi melodi

[No more melodies]

Dapat kucipta, tanpa senyummu *)

[I can create, without your smile]

Before she go, Laluna said, "And so, for whom the bell tolls? The WHY exists on a macro level and a micro level. A company has a WHY, each division or team has a WHY, and every individual has a WHY. The opportunity is to make sure the right people are working in the right places in the right company. And Allah knows best."

Citations & References:
- Simon Sinek, Start with Why, Penguin Group
- Simon Sinek, David Mead & Peter Docker, Find Your Why, Penguin Group

- Adam Smith, The Theory of Moral Sentiments, Jonathan Bennett
- Paul A. Samuelson & William D. Nordhaus, Economics 19e, McGraw Hill
- Dr. Carol S. Dweck, Mindset, Random House
*) "Pelangi" written by Erros Djarot.

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